Passing the Time
by Lexiconiful
Summary: Complete! Teru and Kurosaki take a vacation with the rest of the team...and spend some quality time together. Oh so much fluff and loveliness. Spoiler alert if you haven't finished the series! This starts the second after the side story #3 end. Still waiting to read the ending? Do a web search for 'Icarus bride Dengeki Daisy'. It's all there as we await the release of vol. 16.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Dengeki Daisy or it's characters.**

**Note: Contains spoilers if you haven't finished the series plus the 3 side stories. These tales happen after the final scene in the third side story. Some things to remember: Kurosaki told Teru that they wouldn't do he wouldn't do anything beyond kissing until her graduation (Side Story 3)...but that leaves so many interpretations;-)**

"I still can't believe Masuda talked the ministry into letting us stay at this resort." Kurosaki said as they walked around the resort after dinner.

Teru raised a pedantic finger. "Well, 'luck is in the leftovers', as they say. Which is fitting if you think about it, given that he's a restaurant owner."

Kurosaki grinned down at his dorky girlfriend and took her hand. "Uh huh," he raised her hand up and kissed her fingers.

Teri blushed and looked around. "Kurosaki! People might see!"

He kissed her fingers again and then held her hand against his cheek. "It's just your hand, Teru. Besides," he teased. "You didn't seem to mind making out with me on the balcony a few hours ago."

She rubbed her fingertips against his slightly-bristly cheek and tried to glare at him. "One kiss is not 'making out'."

"You're right," he conceded as he nuzzled her hand, making her laugh and pull away. They clasped hands once more as they started walking. "I should explain the difference."

"What difference?" She asked innocently. He didn't say anything, so she looked up to find him smiling tenderly down at her.

Then he looked at her lips. "Oh," she whispered around a suddenly dry throat.

God she was cute, he thought to himself. He'd half expected her to bolt, to call him names, to demand to go back to the others, something. But instead, she just held his hand a little tighter (after blushing five shades of pink) and leaned into his side.

They were walking down a wooded path that ran behind the hotel and along the beach. Masuda had performed a quick recon (out of habit) when they first got to the resort and had told him about the hidden gazebo a little off the beaten path and hidden by trees. His guess was that he hotel had made it as an attraction, then had neglected to advertise the little hideaway. Teru's gasp of delight was reason enough to have brought her to the little structure.

"This is amazing!" He smiled as she twirled with her long skirt in the middle of the gazebo. "How did you find this? You can't even see this from the path!"

"Someone told me about it," he said softly as he walked slowly to meet her in the middle of the floor. He brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, running a finger along the rim and smiling as her breath caught audibly. "You look beautiful tonight, Teru."

"Um, thank you," she told his shirt front.

He feathered the same finger down her cheek and along her jaw. "Are you going to look at me."

She could barely hear him from the blood rushing in her ears. And, oh god, what was wrong with her breathing? She felt like she was a breath away from panting. "I am looking at you, moron."

He tipped her chin up and her eyes immediately jumped to his. "There you are," he murmured with a smile.

That smile had her holding on to his wrist for balance. "Kurosaki..."

"Shhh," he whispered as he leaned down and rubbed his nose against hers. Then he kissed her forehead. "I'm just kissing you. Not anything else." He reassured her.

Teru's eyes squeezed shut and her breath caught again as he brushed his lips against her earlobe. "That's not very reassuring." She whispered back in the same hushed tones.

"And why's that?"

She let go of us wrist so she could grab his jacket. "Because...eep!" His now-free hand slid down her neck then around to tug on her hair, keeping her head back as his lips moved from her face to her neck. "Uh, because I seriously think I'm going to fall down."

Kurosaki buried his face against her neck for a moment and took a couple of calming breaths. She was so perfect. So sensitive. Knowing how she reacted to the most of basic of intimacies made him feel like finding a shrine right then and there so he could thank the heavens for this gift of a girl.

He stood up and took her hands from his lapels, drawing them around his waist until she held him tight. "Haven't you ever read a shoujo manga before?" He teased as he buried one hand in her hair as the other slid down her back as bent towards her. "That's why you have to hold on to me."

"Oh," she started to say, but it turned into a moan as Kurosaki pressed his lips tenderly to hers. Her feelings of awkwardness and shyness kept trying to well up, only to be swept away as he kissed her again and again; soft, chaste kisses that eventually had her standing on her toes seeking a longer press of lips. "Kurosaki!" She whined when he raised his head once more.

"Yes?" He asked innocently. He kissed the corner of her mouth. "Don't you like it?"

"No. Yes!" She made a frustrated sound. "I just...can you kiss me like when you're drunk," she blurted.

That got his attention. He raised his head to look at her, then groaned. Her eyes were slumberous and shiny and her lips were puffy from his ministrations. "Kiss you like what?"

This time it was her time to groan as she hid her face against his chest. "Never mind." She knew from dinner that he hadn't had any alcohol other than the beer he'd consumed in his room hours before.

Intrigued, and wanting to kiss her again, he drew her face away from his chest and tipped her chin once more. "No. No. No keeping secrets fro Daisy-san. How do I kiss you when I'm drunk?" He asked, curious.

"Um, you know."

"Apparently not." He gave her a quick, smacking kiss that had her gasping before he pulled back once more. "Now tell me."

"Harder," she whispered, and closed her eyes in mortification. "And you use your, um..."

"My tongue?" He asked huskily, his breath hot against her mouth.

She nodded, then whimpered as he laved her bottom lip with said member.

"I really have to pay more attention next time I drink," he said, smiling as her fingers spasmed on his back. "But Teru," he waited until her eyes fluttered open. "We'll get there. I want to teach you other way to kiss tonight, too."

She swallowed at the look on his face and held him tighter as her knees went rubbery. "But what if I'm not good at it?"

"You're kisses are the best thing I've ever felt in my life," he told her truthfully. Then he grinned wickedly, "but if you're worried, then it's my job as sensei to help you get better." He dodged a foot stomp and leaned down, hovering his lips over hers, smiling as hers parted in anticipation. "Let me show you something new."

Teru sighed in pleasure as Kurosaki kissed her like he had before, softly and sweetly. But his next move had her jerking, holding onto him harder as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth before releasing it. The he bit it lightly, only to release it and wash the small hurt with his tongue.

He repeated the action in different places all over her lips until the sounds she was making threatened to shatter his control. He lifted his head and hers dropped back, as though it was too heavy to hold up. He solved that by clenching a trembling hand in her hair. He pressed his forehead against hers until her eyes opened once again. "Now your sensei says, do the same to me." God help him.

"Okay." Her shyness temporarily forgotten as her head was still swimming, Teru unwound her arms from around Kurosaki and brought up her hands to cup his face.  
>"Like this?"<p>

This time it was he who clenched his eyes shut. The nibbling of her teeth, the draw of her mouth on his flesh, and the flick of her hot tongue against him had him groaning out his own pleasure and fighting for patience. "Teru."

He opened his eyes as she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest once again. He could feel her trembling. "You okay?" He asked when he remembered how to use his tongue again.

"Yes. I thought it would be easier if I did those things to you," she confessed, embarrassed. "That I wouldn't get as flustered so fast...but it's worse." She rubbed her cheek against him, drawing in the hot scent of him. "I've never heard you make that sound before, Kurosaki." She looked at him shyly, but with a new, dangerous knowledge in her eyes. "I like it." She then looked down at her legs. "I'm also seriously about to fall down."

His 'me, too', had her blushing, but smiling. "C'mon." He scooped her up in his arms and had her squealing and complaining until he sat down with her in his lap on one of the gazebo benches.

That immediately shut her up and had her sitting so still and blushing so hard that he looked around to see if they had company. "What is it?"

"Um, nothing." She tried to stay still and get of his lap at the same time, but only resulted in an awkward shimmy that had Kurosaki's arm around her waist to keep her still.

He rested his head on her shoulder and tried to ignore the throb of where Teru sat pressed against his erection. "Relax. He won't hurt you." He raised his head and kissed her neck, making her jump. "I promise though, you kiss me like that and I can guarantee he'll be there no matter what. So you better get used to him." He grinned as Teru put her hands over her eyes as her embarrassment got the best of her. "But, we have a year," he reminded her, "before you have to pay any attention to that..."

Teru kept her eyes shut as she put her hands over Kurosaki's mouth. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She was not ready for this! How could he be so blasé?

She flinched as he kissed her palm where it covered his mouth. Then she squealed as he licked it. He laughed as she wiped it on his shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

"Maybe we should go back," she suggested nervously.

Even on his lap she was shorter than him, he thought as he looked down at the top of her bent head. "I still owe you a kiss."

She jerked her head up. "After that?"

"We're still missing the one you asked for," he reminded her, enjoying the spectacle of her red face getting even redder. He curved his arm around her shoulder and curled her towards him until her head was nearly on his shoulder and his mouth was brushing over hers softly. "Put one arm around my neck and the other around my back," he instructed softly. "Good," he praised her when she shyly complied. "Now, sometimes when the feelings are really high, I'll kiss you hard right away, like this..."

He bent his head the last centimeter and kissed her hard, just like he'd said. Her mouth had been already open as she panted out her breaths, so he slanted his mouth over hers and swept his tongue inside to thrust against hers. With bold thrusts and swipes of his tongue, he showed Teru the passion that was always right under the surface.

And she liked it. No, she thought to herself through the haze. She loved it. She'd thought that he'd kissed her in an 'adult way' before, but this... Her brain went right up to overload and then sped right past it, but she was okay, because Kurosaki kept a tight hold on her.

At first she could only feel and try to remember to breath when Kurosaki told her to, but soon, just like he'd told her before, she tried to mimic his actions...and was quickly rewarded with a gut-wrenching groan from him. In another second he had her pressed flat on her back against the bench as he sucked her tongue into his mouth.

That act had her body bowing towards his with a shattering moan... and he knew he had to stop.

He wrenched his mouth away from hers and buried his face in her hair. "God, Teru. You are so dangerous."

Even with her mouth now free, she felt like she couldn't get enough air. His voices so gravely and deep, had her tugging on his hair. "Do we have to stop?"

He groaned at the feel of her hands in his hair. "Yeah. Yes." He grabbed her hands and, without looking, stretched them out above her head so she'd stop touching him. He though that was a good idea until he raised his head and saw the picture she made, lush, obviously aroused, and pinned down by his big hands. He let go of her wrists and sat up, scrubbing his eyes with his hands as he fought for control. "Absolutely we have to stop."

"Okay," she sighed languidly. "But I need help up. My bones are completely rubber."

He groaned again and, eyes shut, held out a hand. "You need to shut up now."

She laughed and took the hand. "Thank you, Kurosaki." She sat up, having slid off his lap when he pushed her to the bench, and still feeling dazed, leaned against his side. The fact that he was trembling like she made her feel giddy and hot all over again. She clearer her throat. "Should we head back?"

"Um," he hunched a little and scrubbed his face once again. "Maybe in a little while. So Riko doesn't dismember me on sight." He felt Teru nuzzle his arm as she sat by him. Girls had it so much easier. He smirked and pointed at the next bench over. "Which means you should sit over there for a few minutes minutes."

She looked confused for a moment, then went beet red as she clued in. She tried to be graceful and non-chalant as she stood, but her knees were still rubbery, so she stumbled a bit on her way over. "How's that?"

Kurosaki had taken off his dinner jacket and draped it over his lap. He took a deep breath. "Very slightly better."

She straightened her skirt and picked off imaginary lint. "Okay then."

She couldn't see the leaves in her hair from her time in the bench, but Kurosaki could. "Hey, Teru?"

She looked over at him, his blond hair waving in the breeze. Her hands clenched again at the memory of it under her hands. "Yeah?"

He gave a slow smile that had her grinning back. "That's making out."


	2. Chapter 2

Riko hid a smile the next morning as Teru packed their lunch. "Soooo, has Kurosaki seen your suit?"

"Of course," she said absently. "He's the one who bought it for me." She looked down at the two piece she'd gotten for her last trip to the beach with her friends. "He said I couldn't go to the beach in my school swimsuit."

Riko turned a laugh into a cough. "And has he seen you in this yet?"

Teru frowned in thought. "No. I didn't try it on at the store and you were the one that came with us to the beach." Suddenly nervous, she looked down at herself. "Why? Is something wrong? You don't think he'll like it? Maybe I should change. I brought my school uniform, just in case."

Riko stopped her before she could dash for her suitcase. "Nothing's wrong! You look cute." And the school suit would probably give him an aneurism. She patted her shoulder when Teru pouted at the word 'cute'. "Guys like cute. Don't worry."

"Okay." She looked at Riko and felt a pang of good-natured envy. "You look good too, Riko." She actually looked stunning, like a movie star. Her lush figure was highlighted by a two piece with which she'd paired a sarong and a wide brimmed hat. She glanced down at her own form, unimpressed. "Should I bring a wrap?" Not that there was anything to see.

Grinning at the thought of a possessive Kurosaki, Riko opened her mouth to tease her, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. "Hold that thought," she told her, and all but skipped to the door.

"Are you two ready?" Kurosaki asked as he stepped inside. "Everybody else already headed to the bea..."

Riko bit her cheek to keep from laughing as the two youngsters stared at each other.

She had to admit that Tasuku did look good in his swim shorts and an open Hawaiian shirt that hid none of his lithe muscular glory. Teru obviously thought so too, since she stood with a wrapped onigiri in her hand, mouth open, and beet red.

Kurosaki's eyes just kept sweeping Teru from head to toe while he said 'um' over and over. A quick arm pinch had him jerking his eyes back to Riko. "Did you have something you wanted to say," she prodded.

He nodded. "Yes, I do." He pointed at Teru. "Are you really going out like that! What are you thinking? Your belly button is even showing!" He shrugged off his shirt and started to walk towards a shocked Teru with the wild idea of cocooning her in fabric, but a fist collided with the back of his head before he got two steps.

"What is wrong with you!?" Riko shrieked as Teru ran from the room.

He dodged another fist. "What's wrong with me? What are you doing letting her go out in that?"

"That's the suit that you picked out, you insensitive moron! And we're at a beach! What else is she supposed to wear?" She pointed towards the bedroom door that Teru had shut behind her. "You go and fix this right now." She grabbed the picnic basket and turned towards the door. "You idiot!"

Kurosaki rubbed the back of his head and stared at the bedroom door. He knew he had handled that badly, but Teru in her two piece had short circuited his brain. All he could think of was all the attention she'd obviously garner at the beach, and the attention she must have gotten he last time she wore it to the beach. Without him.

He rubbed his face with both hands and went to knock. "Teru? Can I talk to you?"

He heard rustling as she moved around the room. "Go away, Kurosaki. Don't worry, I'm changing."

Aw crap. At least it didn't sound like she was crying. He leaned his head against the door. "Please don't change. I'm sorry I said those things. You look beautiful."

The noise behind the door stopped. "Really?"

"Really," he told her honestly. "So beautiful that the thought of other guys seeing you like that made me a little crazy for a moment."

"Um...well, thank you for saying that, even if we both know I'm just a scrawny little girl. So I'll just wear this." She opened the door, and glancing down at her school swimsuit, patted her chest. "Although this is getting a little tight."

She looked up in surprise as his hands grabbed her shoulders tight. "Kurosaki?" She squeaked the next moment when he pushed her right back into the room and shut the door in her face.

She was still staring at the door when his voice came from the other side. "Don't." His voice was rough. "Don't wear that. Just put the other suit on and let's go."

"I...I'm sorry," she sputtered as she quickly changed once again. "I guess you don't want to be seen with someone in a school suit, huh? I guess that would look pretty weird."

Kurosaki gave a short laugh and was glad she couldn't see him on his knees in the hallway. "Yeah. Right. Weird." He stood up quickly when she walked towards the door once more. He sighed a little as she stepped out in an oversized T-shirt. "Really?"

She blushed but raised her chin. "I was going to wear this anyway. It has nothing to do with you." She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and brushed past him to grab her hat and her beach bag. "But go bald anyway."

"Hey, Teru."

Embarrassed, she kept walking towards the door without looking at him. "What?"

He let her put her hand in the knob before he put both hands against the door, trapping her between him and the door. "Look at me."

She turned and looked up at him, her breath catching as he stared down at her with a sweet and sly expression.

He leaned down and she met him on her tip toes as he kissed her softly, one hand cupping her cheek. She sighed his name as they parted and she felt him smile against her lips before he kissed her once again. She dropped her hat and her bag and went to grab his shirt in order to keep her balance, only to encounter the hot skin of his chest.

He jerked at her touch and she snatched her hands back, breaking the kiss to cover her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what I'm doing."

Pressing his hands against the door once more so that he didn't grab her hands and put them right back on him, he pressed a kiss to the top of her bent head and tried to catch his breath. "I will disabuse you of that notion at another time. Now," he cleared his throat and picked up her things. "Let's get to the beach before Riko thinks she has to come and kill me."


	3. Chapter 3

"It's about time!" Riko told them as they met the rest of the group on the beach. She noted Teru's blush and narrowed her eyes at Kurosaki. "Are you okay, Teru?"

Teru gave her a two-fingered salute. "Everything is fine! Sorry for my outburst earlier."

Riko gave her a hug and flicked Kurosaki off behind her back. "That wasn't your fault. You're so nice. I would have punched him." She plucked at the t-shirt Teru had put on over her suit. "What's this?"

Teru blushed again and got busy repositioning a beach chair. "Well, I need a cover up, don't I?" She gave a little laugh and waved a hand. "Besides, no one wants to see a stick figure like me at the beach."

"Hmmm." Riko glared at Tasaku once again and slowly drew her finger across her throat.

He steadfastly avoided her gaze and grabbed a chair for himself, maneuvering around the others until he was beside Teru.

"Now, children," Andou had been a few feet away screwing a cooler into the sand. When he stood up both Teru and Kurosaki fought to keep their faces straight. He had white paste all over his nose, an old man's fishing cap, as well as his usual round sunglasses. The effect was quite comical. "We're going to have some fun. We'll have to do some work soon enough," he said, reminding them of the summary reports the Ministry had sent them to the resort to produce. "Now!" He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Which of you lovely ladies would like to bury me in the sand?"

A can of coffee came out nowhere and hit Andou in the head, pitching him into the sand.

"Sorry about that," Boss said lightly as he returned from the vending machines. "It slipped out of my hands."

Andou gave a thumbs up from the sand. "That's perfectly alright. It's a good way to start out this vacation."

"Ewww." Riko took a beverage from Masuda. "I'd hit you some more for that, but you'd only thank me. Now you." She pointed a finger at a startled Teru. "Get that shirt off so you can put on some sunscreen. I know you didn't put any on in the room." She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle, tossing it to Kurosaki. "Help her with that, will you?" Then she turned her back on them to talk to Boss and Andou.

Teru and Kurosaki looked at each other, then looked away, blushing.

"Um, I can put it on myself." She said shyly.

Kurosaki gave a little cough. "Right. Fine, but, um, you can't get your back." He pointed out. "So I'll do that. Have a seat." He waited until she sat on the beach chair then he sat behind her. He cleared his throat once more. "You'll have to take the shirt off."

She complied with a groan and a deepening blush. He watched from behind as even her ears turned red. God, she was cute.

Teru jumped when Kurosaki suddenly laughed. "What?" She held the shirt against her front, then squeaked when he grabbed it and threw it amongst their bags. "Kurosaki?"

"We're idiots,"he said softly, resting his cheek on the top of her head. "We're acting like a couple of kids. Why are we so nervous?"

She glanced over at the other adults as Kurosaki kissed the top her head. "Um, I'm not quite sure how we're supposed to act in front of everybody. And you," she shivered a little as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "You made me all self-conscious back in the room." She shrugged. "I mean, I've seen you without a shirt on and you've seen me in my school suit before, but this feels different somehow."

Kurosaki smiled and took a hold of her hand to squirt some lotion into it. "You do your front. I'll get your back." He squirted some onto his own hands and brushed them over her shoulders. "That's because it is different." He watched the goosebumps race over her skin in fascination. "In a good way."

Teru gasped a little as his fingers spread lotion under her back straps. "Why is it good that we're nervous and self-conscious?"

"Because it just means that we're very aware of each other. That we both feel the same way." To prove his point he leaned over her to give her more lotion, pressing his chest against the skin of her back and making her flinch at the contact. "It's part of the fun of belonging to someone else." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "I still remember how it felt not to be able to even hold your hand. And all of the times I thought might be taken from me...that makes me want to steal away every moment I can get with you." He took a hold of her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Every touch. Every time I see you I have to stop myself from taking everything. That makes me nervous, Teru."

Teru had barely been able to keep a coherent thought in her head when he had used his big hands to spread the sunscreen on her back, but his words, the way he was all but wrapped around her and the look in his eyes as he slowly bent towards her blanked her mind and had her lifting her face towards his.

"Hey, everybody! There's a takoyaki stand up the beach!" Akira skidded to a stop in front of their chairs. "What are you two doing?"

Kurosaki looked down at Teru, whom he now held in a near headlock. "She's got sand in her eye!" He nearly yelled while scrubbing a hand over her face until she started slapping at him. "I think we got it out now."

"Uh huh," Akira watched as a blushing Teru shoved Kurosaki out of the beach chair. "So, takoyaki or what?"

"That sounds great," Teru said, deciding to ignore Kurosaki until her heart beat returned to normal. Getting away from him for a few moments seemed a good idea. "Let's go." She grabbed her bag. "We'll be right back," she called out.

Kurosaki picked himself up out of the sand and watched them head up the beach. He really did love her suit.

Riko came beside him. "How're you doing there, Daisy?" She drawled. "Did you get all of the sand out of her eye?"

He took a deep breath and shucked his shirt. "Shut up, ya old hag. 'Help her with the lotion', my ass." He headed towards the water. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Me?" Riko smirked as he flicked her off and waded into the surf. "I'm just tying to help."


	4. Chapter 4

"That's 6 orders of takoyaki." The vendor handed to bag to Akira as Teru paid the bill.

"I'm going to run these back while they're still hot," Akira told her.

She smiled at his happy exuberance and yelled after his retreating figure. "I'll be right there."

Teru heaved a sigh as she ambled back towards their chairs. She stopped as Kurosaki popped up from beneath the water with a triumphant cry holding a sand dollar. He ran a hand through his wet hair, sleeking it against his skull, then waved as he spotted her on the beach. Her first thought would normally have been to run into the water and join him, but her nerves, already on edge from the lotion incident, jangled again at the sight of a lithe, wet Kurosaki, gleaming in the sunlight.

Turning on her heels, Teru headed back towards the concession stands with her hands on her hot cheeks.

What was wrong with her? Her female friends had pouted with envy at the idea of going to the beach with a boyfriend. They had regaled her with instructions on how to be cute, alluring, and all of the other tools females used to keep their boyfriend besotted while surrounded by other bikini-clad females. She couldn't even remember if she'd seen any other girls on the beach, let alone try to be cute and enticing.

She thought of the night before and their kiss against the door this morning. Enticing him didn't seem to be a problem anyway, she thought with a blush. She just felt clumsy and young, she realized.

Teru had walked past the vendors and into a picnic area. She didn't realize it until she walked past a table full of young men and one of them grabbed her arm, startling her.

"Well, hello there," the handsome teenager said smoothly. "Are you alone? You should join us for a drink."

"No, thank you. I'm not alone." Teru tried to tug out of his grasp without seeming rude. "I have to get back to my friends."

"Now, now. Don't rush off. We don't bite. " He stood up, still holding onto her arm as his friends shouted their invitations. "My name is Orochi. Come on and sit with us. Let me buy you a drink."

"My friends are waiting for me," she said again, getting frustrated. She slapped at his hands, but that only made him laugh. "Leave me alone."

"Don't be like that. What's your name?"

"Her name," said the menacing voice behind Teru. "is none of your business." Kurosaki stared at the hand that was still wrapped around her wrist. "Just how badly do you want your hand broken?"

"Hey, man. Sorry!" Orochi apologized, shaken by the promised threat in the tall, obviously delinquent, man's gaze.

Teru sighed in relief when Orochi snatched his hand back, releasing her wrist. "Thank you Kuros...ack!" She yelped as he swung her up in to his arms and turned away from the subdued young men to stride back towards their place in the sand. "What are you doing?!"

"I can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" He groused as he held her tighter. "Do you want me to start punching out random strangers?"

"That is not fair. That was not my fault." She didn't know where to put her hands, so she laced them together and tried to ignore all the points of contact their skin was making at the moment.

"You wear that suit out in public and it's kinda your fault," earned him a gasp and a thump on the chest. "Why didn't you tell them you had a boyfriend?"

She went perfectly still, her eyes going wide. "I...I forgot I could say that." she admitted, embarrassed.

Kurosaki rolled his eyes and stopped walking. He jerked his head back towards the picnic area. "Are those guys still watching us?"

Teru peeked over his shoulder. "Yeah."

"Good." He turned around so that they were in full view and then he kissed her.

Teru's hands fluttered for a moment as Kurosaki's lips pressed against hers, before they crept around his neck and held on for dear life.

At the touch of her hands Kurosaki angled his head, held her tighter, and deepened the kiss until her nails were leaving marks where she held him tight.

He raised his head when his knees began to wobble and rested his forehead against hers. He felt her breath panting against his lips and locked his knees. "Repeat after me; 'I have a boyfriend'."

"I have a boyfriend," she said breathlessly, her eyes still closed.

"Now say, 'His name is Kurosaki Tasuku'."

"His name is Kurosaki Tasuku," she parroted back weakly as he softly kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Say, 'he's a punk who will kick your ass if you so much as look at me'," he murmured against her lips.

Their spectators forgotten, her hands slid from his shoulders to his hair, trying to hold him closer as he kissed pressed kiss after kiss all over her face. "Kurosaki."

He almost pitched them both into the sand when she moaned his name. He cursed as he lifted his head, taking in her dazed eyes and flushed features. "Are you going to forget again?"

Her hands unclenched from his hair and fell back to his shoulders. "Forget what?" She asked, staring at his mouth.

Absurdly pleased, Kurosaki ignored the temptation of her kiss-swollen mouth and shifted his hold until he could hoist her over his shoulder. "Forget it," he yelled, ignoring her surprised shriek. "I'm just going to tattoo 'property of Kurosaki Tasuku' on your forehead. That should help."

Teru tried to brace her hands on his back as he began walking once again, but her hands kept slipping. "That's not funny," she giggled. "I won't forget." She noticed they were heading for the ocean instead of the beach chairs and started laughing as she wiggling in his hold. "Kurosaki don't! I won't forget, I promise. I have a boyfriend! I have a boyfriend!"

They'd been going out for months, but hearing her say it still brought a stupid smile to his face.

"Quit wiggling," he told her somewhat desperately. He had one hand wrapped around her thighs and his back was awash with sensation at the touch of her hands and the occasional brush of her torso against his skin. A plunge into the water would do them both good. "Take a deep breath!" He warned before he fell backwards with her into an oncoming wave.

They came up, hair in their faces, sputtering, and laughing as they held on to each other in the surf. "You're a bully, Kurosaki!" She giggles as she splashed him.

"A bully, huh? Didn't I just save you?" He asked innocently as he wiped the water out of his eyes. "Carry you off like a princess? You should call me your knight in shining armor." Then he gave her a smile that had her squealing and making an attempt for the shore. He grabbed her from behind and pitched them once again into the waves.

They spent the next hour in the water playing and searching for sand dollars. When he found out she was scared of starfish he searched for one in earnest and then chased her out of the water and around the beach chairs until even Andy told them to cut it out.

"Ah, youth," he intoned from beneath his hat as the two collapsed on to their beach chairs. "Such energy."

Riko opened one eye from where she'd been sunbathing and watched Teru and Kurosaki smile at each other as they dried off. "Actually, I think it's love, not youth," she whispered to Andy.

Andy nodded with a smile and adjusted his hat.


	5. Chapter 5

Shoutout to TeruDaisyFan for the prompt for this one. Thank you!

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><p>Akira watched Teru and Riko walk up the beach. "You know, Teru doesn't have much of a rack, but she's still kind of a hottie in that suit."<p>

Boss and Kurosaki turned slowly and stared at him. Akira watched curiously as Boss put a hand on Kurosaki's shoulder. "What?"

The two men looked at each other and nodded before standing up. Then they each took a hold of one of Akira's arms.

Teru put a hand up to her eyes and squinted out at the water. Kurosaki and Boss were holding onto Akira's legs and... "What are they doing? Are they trying to see how long he can hold his breath?" She asked Riko.

Riko smirked. "It's either that, or knowing him, what we psychologists like to call 'behavior modification'. In any case," she put her arm around Teru. "Ignore them. How do you like the trip so far?"

"It's been so amazing," Teru sighed, thinking of having everyone together...and of the moments she and Kurosaki had shared. "Um, when do we have to write the report for the Minstry?"

"We're going to do that tonight. That way," Riko said with a wink, "our last day of vacation will be stress free and we can do what we want."

"That's right!" Teru clapped her hands excitedly. "Kurosaki is taking Akira and I to go paint kokeshi dolls tomorrow!"

"Really?" Riko put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I swear, that boy has no sense of the romantic."

"Everything doesn't have to be romantic. Although, just being with him openly feels romantic to me." Teru looked back at the boys who were now having a water fight in the waves. "Don't blame him, though. He asked what tourist attractions I wanted to do and that's what I told him."

"And Akira? Why is he going?"

Teru shrugged. "Because it sounds like fun. We thought he'd enjoy it."

"Uh huh." Riko rolled her eyes at the thought of a teenage boy enjoying painting dolls. "I've been meaning to ask, how do feel around him? Around Akira, I mean," she asked in what Teru called her 'psychologist voice.' "You seem awfully relaxed around someone who's put you through so much."

Teru was silent for so long that Riko mentally kicked herself. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up now. Forget I asked."

"No. No. It's alright," Teru said slowly. "I was just figuring out how to say it. When all of you first decided to try and save him, all I could think about was what he'd done and all of the trouble he'd caused. But watching all of you, especially Kurosaki, work so hard to help someone who was so much a victim of circumstance...well, it reminded me of me. Well, me and Kurosaki."

She waved a hand at the look Riko gave her. "Just hear me out. I lost my parents. He never had parents. I had my brother and he had the professor and we both had those taken away. But," she hugged herself. "I had Daisy and he had no one. After Daisy I had, ha ha, Kurosaki and then all of you to save me; to stop me from going down the wrong road. He didn't have any of that." She stopped and picked up a shell. "In fact, he was actively pushed down that wrong road. Like Kurosaki all those years ago."

"What if," Teru said softly, "my brother had turned his back on him? What if none of you had helped him? Would he be the same person he is today? Would he be here with me like this? I don't think so." She threw the shell out in the water. "Akira's just like that. He deserves the same chance."

Riko sniffed back a tear. "Your brother would be proud of you, Teru," she told her with a hug.

Teru smiled mistily and hugged her back. "He'd be proud of you, too, Riko."

They separated with a laugh and linked arms to head back up the beach. "Soooo, did you pack the dress I got you?" Riko asked slyly.

"Yes," she responded with a blush. "It's so lady-like. When would I wear something like that?"

Riko squinted up the beach to where Kurosaki was currently burying Akira in the sand. "That's the sort of dress you wear when your boyfriend takes you somewhere nice."

"Um, but he hasn't said that he wants to go anywhere while we're here." Teru said shyly. "Like a date."

Riko just patted her hand. "Let's just wait and see."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi Everyone! If you're not familiar with some of the cultural terms and items in this story, I recommend a quick image or Wikipedia search. You should be fine without it (if I've done my job right). It's just more interesting with a visual:-)**

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><p>The report done, the next day everyone took off around the island for their own pursuits. Masuda had decided to take is a food fair to see if he could come up with any more dishes for his restaurant. Riko decided to head back to the beach before going souvenir shopping, and Andou had made for the local city to play in their electronics stores. He'd also heard that there were some very interesting S&amp;M maid cafes (at which point nobody wanted to hear about his plans anymore).<p>

Kurosaki, Teru, and Akira were coming back from a local village where they'd spent the morning at an artisan shop.

Teru glanced at Akira sleeping in the backseat. She couldn't see his eyes because he was wearing the gruesome demon mask he'd painted, but she could hear the snores. "I didn't know the painting studio offered the Noh masks and the daruma dolls. I thought it was all kokeshi dolls; cute girls with adorable haircuts."

"Yeah, well, I'm thankful there were options," Kurosaki said with a grimace. "Otherwise we would've had to put up with the same stinkin' complaining that we had all the way here. 'I don't want to play with dolls!' 'What am I going to do with a bleepity bleep doll!'," he said in perfect imitation of Akira.

"You shush." She said and held up his round figurine. "I noticed you chose a daruma monk doll." He'd even left one of the eyes unpainted as a form of making a wish. Once the wish was granted he could paint in the second eye.

"Well, duh. What did you expect? Besides, mine is a symbol of courage and brings good fortune while yours is just a doll, so there." He turned to watch as she stuck her tongue out just like he'd drawn on the daruma figure. "You're lucky Akira's with us."

"Why's that?" She asked innocently as she continued to make faces at the doll. When he didn't respond she glanced up at him, tongue still stuck out, to find him staring at her mouth with a tender, but hungry, look on his face. She restored her face to order with a gulp. "Oh."

Kurosaki turned his attention back to the road and smiled to himself as she put away the dolls and sat very still beside him for the next few minutes. She'd been so cute today. First, she'd regaled him and Akira with the history of kokeshi dolls and difference between them and Hina Matsuki dolls. Then, when they'd driven by one town sign, she'd gotten all excited and told them a famous poet from god-knew-when used to live there, then had proceeded to recite a poem. Akira had made so much fun of her for that one that Kurosaki had been sure he'd have to pull over to break up a slap-fight. Teru had surprised him though, she'd just ignored Akira and pointed out the next interesting landmark. When he'd asked her about it later, she just said that between teasing from her brother, schoolmates, and Daisy, she was pretty much immune.

Teru cleared her throat after a few minutes. "Thank you for today, Kurosaki." She patted the bag containing her own doll. "I've always wanted to try this."

He smiled. "I know. But don't thank me yet. Our day isn't over." He reached over and held her hand. "Will you go out with me tonight?"

She blushed, but she wove her fingers through his and held tight. "Okay."

He brought their joined hands to his lips. "Don't you want to know where we're going?"

"I don't care," she sighed. She didn't realize what she'd said until he burst out laughing. "I'm sorry," she said sheepishly. "I do care. Where are we going?"

He opened her hand and kissed her palm, still chuckling. "Ah, that was great. Now I'm not going to tell you. Just for fun." He glanced over and watched her eyes close as he kissed her palm once more.

"Watch out!"

The scream from the backseat had both of them yelping. Kurosaki dropped her hand and put both hands on the wheel to yank the car back on to the correct side of the road, narrowly avoiding an oncoming car.

They continued quietly for a few moments, all of them panting, before Akira began yelling at them both. Apologizing, they let him rant about drivers safety, 'stupid couples', and how he was too young to die. When he began to run down to muttered oaths and glaring out the window, Teru snuck a quick glance at Kurosaki and found him in the same state as she; stifling a laugh that would bring on another lecture.

"I'm not going anywhere else with you two lovebirds while we're on this trip," Akira groused. "You're dangerous."

Kurosaki gave a little cough to keep from laughing and thought of the evening he had planned with Teru. Alone. "Perfectly understandable," he said meekly. "We'll leave you out it then." He winked at Teru and watched her cover her face to keep the laughter in. "For safety's sake."

Akira crossed his arms with a nod. "Damn straight".


	7. Chapter 7

Kurosaki checked his watch again as he stood in the hotel lobby waiting for his date. Riko had overheard him tell Teru that he'd come to her room to get her and she'd just shaken her head and decreed they'd meet in the lobby. When he'd asked why she'd just smiled and said 'impact'.

What ever that meant.

He was about ready to call Riko and explain to her what reservations meant when he overheard two men at the front desk.

"Hey, look at her!"

"Do you think she's alone? Let's ask her for a drink."

Turning his head to where they were staring, he saw Teru standing by a pillar at the entrance of the lobby. And she looked stunning.

Her hair was up, showcasing her long neck and her adorable ears, and was artfully held in place with two sticks. Her dress was a long, slim black sheath that hugged her figure and reminded him of that American movie that took place at Tiffany's. As he walked towards her (with a glare at the gawkers) he could then see she was wearing heels that made her legs look 10x longer.

She looked elegant, refined, grown up and beautiful.

She was also talking to herself.

"No funny faces," he made out as he got closer. "Elbows off the table and cross your ankles. No corny jokes."

He maneuvered around the pillar until he was right behind her. "But I like your corny jokes," he mock-whispered into her ear.

"Eep!" She spun around so fast that she tripped herself up in her heels.

Kurosaki steadied her before she could face plant. "At least you weren't practicing ninja moves this time," he said as he let her go with a laugh, referring to her birthday when he'd met her in the lobby of their apartment building.

Teru closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She could feel the blush heating her cheeks, both from her tripping and him catching her talking to herself. Even though they'd been going out for half a year, moments like this, an official date, made her nervous.

She opened her eyes and looked at Kurosaki. She sighed. He was so handsome she just wanted to stare at him all night. He looked so debonair and dignified in his suit. Even his blond hair looked like a high-end fashion statement. Whereas she felt like a kid playing dress-up next to him.

She glanced up and was instantly caught by the look on his face. "Kurosaki?"

Sometimes, he thought to himself, he was just struck by the fact that she was so beautiful. That she was okay. That she was his. That she loved him.

God, he loved her.

They stood there for a moment until he reached out a hand and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. He lingered for a moment along her jaw before dropping his hand.

He cleared his throat. "You look beautiful, Teru." And dangerously adult-like. He thought briefly about kissing her in the middle of the lobby when she ducked her head with another blush. He offered his hand instead. "Are you ready?"

She took it with a nod. "Thank you. You look beautiful, too. Wait, no!" She stuttered when he laughed. "You look handsome, I meant to say."

He laced his fingers through hers. "Now that we've established that we're both hot, do you want to go eat?"

This time she laughed. "Did I say hot? I didn't say hot."

He winked at her as they walked out to the valet. "Shhh. Shhh, now. It's alright." He patted her hand as he helped her into the car. "I know that's what you were really thinking. I know I was," he finished on a murmur.

He was so goofy. She let out the giggles as he made his way around the car and then sobered up when he opened his own door and got in. "I see." She thought a moment about what he'd said and felt a heady feminine thrill. Then, as an experiment, she crossed her legs as he started the car, slowly so that the skirt crept just above her knee.

He stalled the car with a curse.

Feeling hot (and a little guilty), Teru quickly tugged her hem down. A little went a long way, Riko had told her. "Is the everything okay? Is something wrong with the car?" She asked innocently. He blew out a breath and, keeping his eyes straight ahead, gently restarted the car. "The car's fine," he said with a cough. But he was sort of a mess, he acknowledged wryly.

Teru really was growing up fast.

Thank god.


	8. Chapter 8

Teru sat silently beside Kurosaki as they made their way away from the resort hotel and into the mountains that comprised most of the island. She felt silly about her stunt with her hem. She didn't know how other girls did this. Were they born with feminine wiles and knowing how to flirt? Did their mothers take them aside at some point and teach them these things the same way they taught them to wear makeup?

Kurosaki glanced at her when she sighed and noticed her blush. "Hey." He reached over and took her hand. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." She blushed even more and shook her head. "Boys. Makeup." She thought of the time he'd made her knees go out in the elevator. "Perfume," she finished lamely.

"Ahhh." He knew exactly what she was thinking about. He'd heard Riko and even Rena dole out womanly advise from time to time. He had to admit he enjoyed most of their efforts. Like that skirt move. "I like the scent you're wearing tonight."

Teru stuttered when he raised her hand for a kiss. "But, um, I'm not wearing any perfume."

He drew in a deep breath then sent her a look that did something to her insides. "I guess it's just you then, that smells so good."

She sighed, dazzled by him. "I really do love you." She blinked, snapping out of it when Kurosaki's grip tightened suddenly on her hand. "Um, I mean..."

"Don't," he stopped her. "You never have to qualify that. In fact," he smiled teasingly, "I might record it with my cell. It can be my ringtone for you."

"Don't you dare," she laughed. "So where are we going?"

"We're going to one of the villages," he said simply. "For dinner and a show."

Teru looked around at the woods and the mountains surrounding the car. "A show? Here? Ohhh." She bounced a little in her seat. "Are we going to see a movie?" She asked, thinking of the one they'd missed when 'eyelashes' needed help studying.

"You'll see." She gave a small pout and took her hand back, making him laugh again. "You'll like it. I promise."

"Hmph," she playfully groused, but she couldn't keep it up. She watched him as they drove to wherever they were going, admiring his profile, the way his hands looked on the wheel, everything. She felt overly warm, nervous, and ye she couldn't stop taking him in. When he had to call her name twice because she was staring at the way his hair fell over his ear she gave herself a little shake and lightly slapped her cheeks.

He shot her confused look. "What the hell was that for? Are you falling asleep on me?"

"No. Nope." She started to change the subject, then stopped, taking a breath. "Um, can I ask you a question?" She asked in a rush, closing her eyes to help with the embarrassment. "A Daisy kind of question?"

"Oookay," he said, intrigued. Whenever she said it that way it meant she was looking for advice or information. He couldn't wait to hear it. She'd been staring at him for a while now. He'd enjoyed the way her voice had gotten breathier when he'd unbuttoned his suit jacket, and the way she'd stared at his hands and blushed. He'd kept up a rambling monologue just to enjoy the sensation of her eyes on him. It also drove him nuts. If he weren't driving... He cleared his throat. "What's the question?"

"Am, um, am I doing it right? Dating. I mean?" When he didn't respond right away she hurried on. "I don't mean the regular day to day boyfriend/girlfriend situation. I mean going out. Like this." She finished lamely, waving a hand between them.

Teru jumped when, instead of answering, he pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped.

Kurosaki put a hand on her chin and turned her head so their eyes met. "Why are you asking me that?"

She tried to turn her head away, embarrassed even more now that he was facing her and not concentrating on the road, but he wouldn't let go. Staring at him in the car had made her warm, and frankly, a little light-headed. Having his full attention and the touch of his hand on her face now made downright dizzy.

"I feel a little weird," she admitted.

He smiled. "That's not a question."

"It's just, I usually only feel like this when you kiss me," she admitted shyly. "But we're just sitting here. Is something wrong with me?" She put a hand to her forehead. "Maybe I'm getting sick."

Teru watched nervously as Kurosaki closed his eyes, put both hands on the steering wheel, then pressed his face against the wheel so hard that the horn kept going off. "Kurosaki?"

He turned his head to look at her but kept his hands where they were. "There's nothing wrong with you," he said, his voice deeper and rougher than before. "Except for the fact that you're seriously trying to kill me."

She reached for his shoulder then snatched her hand back when he flinched. "I'm sorry!" She closed her eyes in mortification and covered her face with her hands. "Can we just forget I asked? I don't know what's wrong with me tonight!"

She heard the click of his seatbelt and suddenly he pulled her hands away. She kept her eyes closed.

"Nope. Sorry. Can't forget," he told her simply. "Hey, Teru," he said tenderly, loving her all the more for her innocence and shyness. "Look at me." He waited until her eyes met his and then he kissed her. He just pressed his lips against hers softly, over and over again, until her head fell back weakly against the seat and the hands he still held turned limp in his grasp.

Her eyes fluttered open when he pulled back. It took her two tries to find her voice. "Kurosaki, what..."

"Nothing is wrong with you," he repeated in that gravelly tone. "I want you to feel like that. I always feel like that when I'm near you," he admitted. He took one of her hands and pressed it to his chest, "You feel that? My heart starts going faster whenever I think about you, let alone see you."

"And dates are different," he told her, resisting the urge to kiss her again as she clinched her hand in the fabric, staring at his mouth and trying to catch her breath. "Dates are where we get to ignore everybody and everything else and just concentrate on each other. Got it?"

He ran his thumb over her lip when he asked that question, effectively making her mute once again, so she just nodded.

"Good," he leaned towards her once more, but stopped when a car passed them on the road. He sat up with a groan and re-buckled his seat belt. He kept his eyes forward as Teru straightened up in her seat with a deep sigh. "Did that answer you question?"

She touched a hand to her kiss-stung lips and nodded, paused, shook her head, then nodded again.

He started the car with a cough. "Glad we could clear that up."


	9. Chapter 9

After their momentary interlude on the side of the road, they drove through the mountains for another twenty minutes until Kurosaki turned off at an exit nearly obscured by the surrounding wildlife. A brief clearing in the trees showed a breathtaking view of tiered rice fields interspersed with forest that descended into brightly lit village nestled in a narrow valley. He grinned as she all but plastered herself to the window to catch more views through the trees and told her that town below was their destination.

They pulled up to an old, traditional Japanese-style house that sported a hand-painted sign that simply said 'The Table'. Teru gave a sigh at the number of people waiting in line outside the building. She wouldn't have worn these heels if she'd known they would have to stand for a long while.

But when they got out of the car, Kurosaki took her hand and headed straight for the doors where a truly ancient woman in a yukata bowed at his name and led them into the dining area. Due to her dress, she suspected, they were led to an area with raised tables and actual chairs, instead of the low tables with floor cushions in which most of the patrons sat. Teru blushed a little as the woman winked at them and then took her leave.

Now she watched in appreciation as Kurosaki expertly flipped meat and vegetables on the grill set directly in their table. She smiled at him as she played with her salad. "You do realize this could count as two dates." She gestured around them, then at the grill. "Not only did you take me out to dinner, but you're also making me dinner."

"That's because I'm a dating genius," he told her humbly as he started transferring the food to their plates. "Not to mention the best boyfriend in the world."

She gave him a light kick under the table, laughing as he caught her foot between his legs and held her. "I'm so lucky to have such a modest man."

He held out a piece of beef, delighted when she shyly took it from his chopsticks. "You forgot 'handsome'."

She was so cute when she snorted, he thought.

"How did you know about this place?" she asked. "Is it famous?" The restaurant was at least forty minutes away from the resort and deep in the mountains.

He shrugged. "No. It was just one of the ones that took reservations and was near this village."

She held out a piece for him on her chopsticks, fighting the urge to look around and see if anyone was watching. "Why? What's so special about this village?"

Kurosaki took a bite, and wished everyone else in the room to the opposite ends of the earth when she blushed a rosy pink. "Nothing special." He shrugged nonchalantly. "They just happen to have a festival this weekend, is all."

Her squeal of delight had several heads turning before she slapped her hands over her mouth. "Sorry! Sorry." She clasped her hands in front of her and looked at him with eyes as bright as jewels. "Are we really going to the festival after this, Kurosaki?"

He owed Rena big-time, he decided as she all but wiggled in excitement. She had cornered him at school one day and asked him if we was going to the local shrine festival with Teru. When he'd said he had no idea what she was talking about she had poked him in the chest with her sharp, manicured finger and told him to pay more attention. Apparently, Teru loved festivals, but through the years, due to one thing or another, she almost never got to attend. She'd been seven the last time she'd even owned a yukata, he'd been told, and she was always too poor to play the games or buy food from the stalls so she always found a reason not to go when her friends invited her.

All this had apparently been divulged during an over-night study session at Rena's. And Rena was going to make sure her best friend got what she wanted.

"She thinks you won't want to go, so she's not going to come right out and ask you," Rena had said with a flip of her hair. "She too nice. So you're going to have to step up. Got it, Daisy?"

He got it, but they'd missed the local shrine festival due to his work with the ministry. He suggested she go with her friends, but she made noises about her mock-tests and ended up staying at home. Rena (who now had his number) had quite a few pithy things to say about that when he'd checked his text messages.

When Boss had told them about this trip he'd immediately checked the surrounding areas for local festivals and came up empty. Thanks to the debacle with the baby that set the vacation back nearly a week, however, their trip had timed perfectly with a shrine festival at this small village.

"We're really going," he told her. "But we have one more stop to make after we eat."

Teru was so happy, she barely heard what he said. "My brother used to take me every year when I was little. We stopped going when our parents died and he had to work all the time," she said matter-of-factly. "We used to try to catch goldfish and toss rings. He was never any good at it," she recalled fondly. "We never won anything, but it was a lot of fun. We'd always leave before the fireworks started, because he had homework to do and I was so little, but I could see the glow of them on the sides of the building from my window."

Kurosaki reached across the table at her sigh and took her hand. "There will be fireworks tonight," he promised. "We'll find a spot where you can see them perfectly."

They just held hands and smiled at each other until the grill got too hot next to Kurosaki's arm and he yelped. Teru snickered at him lovingly as he checked his suit jacket for burn marks.

"This is going to be so much fun." She looked around the room at the other guests. "I was wondering why there were so many people in yukatas. I guess I just thought this was how people here dressed." She looked down at herself. "Now I feel kind of overdressed. And the shoes..." She gave a little groan. "I definitely would have picked better shoes."

Kurosaki gave her a little leer at thought of the heels she'd taken off when they'd first entered the restaurant. "You couldn't have picked better shoes...for me, I mean."

She rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Oh. Well, then."

He mentally blessed Riko and the flats she'd given him earlier in the evening to stow in the car when he'd told her what they were doing. He didn't tell Teru, though. Time enough for that during the next surprise.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun was well behind the mountains when they left the restaurant, but bright lanterns lined the streets, winding through the village to light the way to the shrine that was nestled at the base of he mountain. By now people were starting to fill the streets as the sounds and scents of a summer festival filled the air.

Kurosaki surprised her as led her back to the car. "That nice old lady said we could leave the car here if we wanted to walk," she reminded him.

He opened the car door for her. "We still have one more stop."

Teru kept sneaking peeks at Kurosaki as he drove, looking for some clue since he wouldn't tell her where they were going. He wound through a few side streets, avoiding the main thoroughfare until he pulled up to building which housed several businesses. She smiled as she saw the ice cream store at the corner, thinking about how they might share a sundae.

But Kurosaki instead took her hand and steered her towards another store which highlighted traditional clothing.

She stopped in her tracks, jerking Kurosaki to a halt. "Why are we going in there?"

He gave her hand a tug. "Come on. have a surprise for you."

She didn't budge, but instead looked him in the eye and asked, "Have you been talking to Rena?"

He stared above her head and paused just a moment too long. "Um, why would you ask me that?"

Teru stomped her foot as best she could in heels. "I never should have told her about those old festivals!" She let go of his hand and turned back to the car.

Kurosaki stopped her by putting his arms around her. "What's the matter? I thought you liked this sort of thing? Even Souichirou used to tell me stories about how he'd take his 'adorable Teru' to the Sakura festival and the shrine festival and how much you loved it."

She closed her eyes as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's just that when Rena tells you things like that it makes me feel like you're being pressured or that I'm being pitied. You don't have to do this kind of thing for me or buy me things, Kurosaki." She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand. "I'm happy just to be with you."

"That's sweet." He turned his head and kissed her palm. "And overly-dramatic." He let go of her only to scoop her up and head towards the shop. He walked towards the doors with her squawking and slapping at his arms. "You should damn well know by now that I don't do anything I don't want to," he told her, ignoring the people outside the ice cream shop who were now gawking. "And if I want to make you happy and give you something you're just going to have to suck it up!"

He gave the door a couple of kicks until a middle-aged woman in traditional dress opened the door. Teru quit squirming at the her polite hello and nodded her head. If the lady thought a man carrying a girl into her store was odd, she gave no indication, but just opened the door further so Kurosaki could carry her in.

He set her down in a room that had her drawing her breath at all of the beautiful clothing and accessories. Silk kimonos, brightly patterned obis, and other items covered every surface. Forgetting Kurosaki for a moment, she walked around, arms crossed like she was afraid to touch such luscious fabric.

Kurosaki gave a relieved sigh as he watched her, then he bowed to the proprietor. "I greatly appreciate you staying open a little later for us. I apologize for the inconvenience."

She waved away his thanks. "I am glad to help. I have several things ready in the back ready for her to look at." She looked at Teru's heels. "Will she need sandals?"

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the pair Riko had slipped him. "Um, you might have to talk her into trying things on. She can be stubborn and she might be a little mad at me."

They watched as Teru ran a single wondering finger down a trail of flowers on an obi sash.

"A woman who looks like that will not be mad for too long at the one who gives her such a thing." She patted his shoulder and pointed to a chair. "I will take her back now."

Teru soon found herself in a dressing room where several yukatas and obi sashes were laid out for her perusal as well as the undergarment, the juban, since it was obvious that she had to lose the dress. Her eyes welled up when she spotted a familiar motif among the cotton creations. She walked over and picked up one of the short sleeves. "Did he ask to get this one in particular?"

The lady, whose name was Wada, smiled as she unzipped Teru's dress. "No. These are actually all that I have left, since people have bought quite a few for the festival." She picked up the yukata, whose blue, daisy-like flowers adorned the white sleeves and hem, before the petals melded into to the darker blue that comprised most of the fabric. "I find that women tend more towards the chrysanthemums or the bird motifs, lately," she explained as Teru took off her shoes and donned the white juban, whose collar would layer under the edges of the yukata.

After the juban, the yukata was put on; the right edge tucked under (tucking in the left edge was reserved for death, she was told). Two straps of fabric then secured it, one under her breasts and then one right at the hip bone. The fabric was then arranged so that the robe hit her right above her feet and the excess fell over her waist in a fold. Wada made sure there was a fist-sized gap between the back of her neck and the collar (as befitted a single lady) and then suggested a light pink obi with white flowers to contrast the robe.

Wada fussed around her, adjusting pleats, checking cinches, and generally ensuring that everything would stay in place as she moved around. She snuck a peek at Teru's face before she smoothed the traditional drum knot she'd made at he back with the obi. "You know, your young man was nearly frantic when he called me a few days ago."

"What? Kurosaki? Why?"

She ran a hand over Teru's hair, tucking in strays and making sure the pins held fast. "Because he was so anxious to surprise you. Because he was worried we wouldn't have anything in stock with the festival so close. Because he was worried that you might not like anything." She patted her lightly on the cheek. "Because he loves you." She stepped back. "Now. What do you think?"

Teru turned around to look at herself in the mirror.

She stood there for so long without saying anything that Wada felt compelled to ask, "Is there anything wrong?"

Teru shook her head. "It looks amazing," she said softly, running a careful hand down the fabric.

"You have the perfect straight silhouette for a Japanese woman. Yukatas and kimonos were made for shapes like yours. Now, walk around the room," she was told. "Sit down and then stand up. See how it fits. This way we know if we need to adjust something. Oh! And don't forget these." She produced the shoes Kurosaki has given to her and bent to slip them onto her feet.

Teru was now actively trying not to cry. It was (technically) just a simple cotton yukata, but it meant a lot more to her. It brought back a flood of memories from happier times. It also told her a lot about Rena and Kurosaki that they'd cared enough to try and recreate those feelings for her.

She had the best friends and the best boyfriend in the world.

"Did you want to try on one of the others?" Wada gestured to the other garments in the room.

"No!" Teru had to stop herself from crossing her arms protectively over the robe. She cleared her throat and said more calmly. "Um, this is perfect. It's definitely my favorite."

"Alright." Wada carefully put Teru's black dress in a garment bag. "Stay here for one minute. Then we'll go show your young man." She smiled at Teru's nervous blush.

Wada left the dressing room first and smiled at Kurosaki who was nervously tapping his feet in the chair. He jumped up when he saw her. "How did it go? That was fast. Did she choose something?"

She held up a hand, nodding her head in approval of his own change of outfit. "Your young lady has good taste and she knows what she likes." She rung up the sale, noticing that he kept looking back towards dressing room. She smiled and handed him the garment bag with the dress. "I will send her out."

As she disappeared behind the screen again, Kurosaki looked in the mirror once more and checked his own yukata. It had been so long since he'd worn one that he'd had to double check on his phone that he was wearing it right. He'd stashed it in the car earlier in the day along with sandals. He'd hurriedly changed in the shop's restroom, worried they'd get done before he could get ready. He'd figured it would be harder for her to say no to her on outfit if he was already dressed and ready to go.

"And here she is."

Kurosaki took a breath and forgot to let it out as Teru stepped from the dressing room. Her eyes were shyly cast downward, so he took a moment to appreciate the the picture she made. If he'd thought she looked good in a little black dress, she looked amazing in the yukata, delicate and beautifully feminine.

Teru felt ridiculously shy, especially after how she had acted in front of the shop, so she kept her eyes down and fiddled with the cloth cinch purse that had come with the outfit. "Well? Does it look okay?"

She heard him take a step towards her and finally looked up. Then her mouth fell open and stayed that way.

The Kurosaki she'd left in the shop had been wearing a very nice and well-tailored black suit, an elegant tie, and shiny shoes. This Kurosaki was wearing a dark gray yukata that reached to just above his ankles, a midnight blue obi (much less wide than hers), and the sandals he'd worn all weekend on the beach.

He looked amazing.

He took her hand, apparently oblivious to her reaction to him, and bent his head to press a kiss to her knuckles. "You look beautiful." He straightened up and addressed Wada without turning away from Teru. "Thank you for your help. She just shines, doesn't she?"

Wada laughed as Teru blushed and told her young man to 'stop it'. God, they were cute. "She does indeed. Now!" She clapped her hands, making the couple (who were still staring at each other) jump. "You two go out and enjoy the festival. I know I'm going to." . She gently scooted them towards the door. "Leave you car here. I'm closing the shop now, anyway."

They bowed to her, thanking her again for all of her help and for the beautiful clothes. She bowed her own thanks and sent them off, smiling to herself as she remembered past festivals and the boys she had walked with hand in hand. She also remembered when one of those boys had finally looked at her like Kurosaki had looked at his Teru.

Speaking of her husband, she'd better go and check his obi, she thought lovingly. He never got the knot quite right.

On to the festival! Please feel free to leave a review if you're enjoying the story so far. Thank you.


	11. Chapter 11

Teru stood on the sidewalk as Kurosaki put the garment bag in the car. Her imagination was going wild as she watched him mov in his yukata. She could easily picture him as an Iga Clan foot soldier; a sword around his waist, his hair long, maybe some scars from battle. He'd strut around with one arm out of the robe, muscles gleaming, and looking...

"Hey!"

She jumped and came back to herself, realizing he now stood right in front of her and had said her name a few times before he'd given up and shouted.

"Sorry! Sorry. What did you say?"

Kurosaki frowned and put a hand to her head and one to his. She didn't feel warm. "Are you okay?" She also seemed out of breath. "You're all red. Is your sash too tight? Can you breathe okay?"

Her tongue didn't want to work so she just nodded. She nearly gurgled as he put both hands on her shoulders, the movement causing his robe to gape so that she could indeed see his perfect, perfect chest.

"Hey," he put a finger under her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "Are you still mad at me?"

That broke the spell. A bit. "Oh, Kurosaki." She took his hand, holding tight. "I wasn't mad. I was just embarrassed and didn't know how to handle it. Thank you so much for this. I love it." She let go of his hand and stepped back, holding out her arms. " Do I really look okay?" She asked shyly.

Kurosaki knew that other girls might use that question to fish for compliments, but not her. She just looked up at him without an ounce of guile.

He wanted to kiss her so bad his teeth ached, but he way he felt right now, he might mess up her new ensemble. "I said you look beautiful, didn't I?" He took her hand once more and headed toward the crowds they could hear a few street over. "Let's go. I think the parade is about to start."

"Okay." They headed towards the noise and the lights and after a few minutes Teru just had to ask, "So you bought one, too?" He looked at her blankly so she plucked at his sleeve.

"Oh. Um, no." He cleared his throat. "Ah, Souichirou actually got this for me one year. We were all drinking and it came up how I'd never owned one. He was really tipsy and actually started tearing up." He smiled at the memory, which made Teru smile. "He dragged me to this shop near the office and basically bullied me into trying this on. I refuse to get it, so the bastard paid for the damn thing while I was changing back into my own clothes."

She stepped closer to his side and he let go of her hand to put his arm around her shoulder. "That sounds just like him."

"Yeah, well, you've got nothin' on the fit I threw outside that store," he smiled at her giggle. "And if a sober Souichirou was hard to argue with or maneuver around, a drunk one was impossible. Anyway, I've never had a chance to wear it before now."

She leaned her head against him for a moment, happy that in a way she now got to share this connection between her brother and Souichirou.

They came up to the lantern-lit main road that ran through the center of the village toward the shrine and maneuvered through the small crowd until they stood by the curb. Their timing was perfect, as at that moment drums began to beat up the road around the bend beyond their sight.

Teru clapped her hands along with the beat, cheering along with the rest of the crowd as a small band of drummers came into view. There was no grande and elaborate pageantry (as there often was in Tokyo during festivals), but instead the drummers, stripped to the waist and all wearing headbands, beat out their catchy tattoo with a serious demeanor as they led the procession.

Next came the head priest in his ceremonial robes and his shaku, or baton, of office. Behind him were three miko, or shrine attendants in their red and white garb. They all carried purification wands, the white paper streamers rustling at the ends of the long sticks as they marched in time to the beat of the drums.

Behind them came the divine palanquin that carried the spirit of the god. The red and gold structure, an ornate, perfectly proportioned miniature building, was held aloft by six men on bamboo poles. They would occasionally shake the structure in an effort to 'awaken' the god before they got to the shrine.

People put their hands together and closed their eyes as it passed and Teru did the same, thanking the (as yet unknown) god for the festival and the opportunity to be here with Kurosaki. She opened her eyes and watched as some of the people bowed. Some were all the way down, their foreheads on the ground as the palanquin passed.

She looked over shoulder to find Kurosaki finishing his own benediction. "Do you know what kind of shrine this is?"

He shrugged. "No clue. I just saw that the date and time were right and went for it."

"Hmm."

After the palanquin passed came a small crowd of people. The whole group consisted of pairs of men and women. The crowds lining the street waved and called out names, indicating that these people were from the village proper. The demeanor of the parade changed at this point too, the solemnity giving way to laughter and cheers. This as probably due to the fact that the group was throwing candy into the crowds.

Teru laughed as children ran around the sidewalk and into the street to gather as many sweets as possible. Kurosaki reached out a hand and caught one as it flew over head.

"Hey," he sounded so aggrieved she turned to see what he'd gotten. "This isn't candy." He showed her a very tiny ball of red string. "What's this thing supposed to be?"

Something niggled at the back of her mind but wouldn't take root. "I don't know. But now I'm really curious."

The small parade continued down the street and soon disappeared into the forest that shielded the shrine. The crowds fell into the street as the last of them left, the children rushing about, picking up candy and the string that had fallen.

Teru looked around for the stalls and vendors, but only saw brightly lit shops, their proprietors making the sound business decision to stay open later for the festivities. "Where's the actual festival?" she asked, perplexed. In Tokyo during festivals the streets were lined with vendors and games.

Kurosaki watched the crowd head en masse down the road towards the woods that surrounded the shrine. "It must be on the shrine grounds," he guessed. He took her hand and headed in that direction. "At least I hope so. It would be just my luck to bring you to a lame-ass festival that doesn't even have a candy apple stand."

She laughed and nudged his side. "Don't worry, Kurosaki. There's always that ice cream shop back by the car. Besides, I can't wait to see the actual shrine and find out what kind of god they have. Oooh," she gave a few excited hops that were at odds with her elegant appearance. "maybe it'll be one of those mountain gods and they'll dress someone up like a tengu." She scrunched up her face to illustrate.

"Maybe it'll be a fertility god," he said slyly. "It could be female and there'll be statues with giant breast."

She slapped his hand down when he tried to demonstrate proportion. "Oh yeah?" She countered. "Well it could be a male and then there'd be a statue with a giant..."

Kurosaki snorted as Teru realized what she was about to say and trailed off, turning beet red . "You were saying?"

"Never mind!" She squeaked.

He laughed so hard that several people looked their way, smiling at the way he was trying to hug her while she tried to push him away in embarrassment.

He won that small skirmish and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her top of her head, which she had tucked against his chest. "Sorry, but you walked into that one." He leaned back so he could see her face. "You do realize that if either of us are right I'm going to laugh my ass off."

"So will I...eventually," she admitted with a smile. "I'll have to take pictures if that's the case or Rena and Haruka will never believe me."

Kurosaki laughed again and put his arm around her shoulders as they started walking once again.

They walked with the rest of the crowd and soon they were under the laced canopy of branches that hung over the wide road. Here they found the stalls, with all of their noise, smells, and energy lining the road on either side. Paper lanterns wove through the branches overhead, looking like fairy lights as they lit both the path and the wares.

They ambled their way through the fair, holding hands and pointing things out to each other. They saw familiar foodstuffs, such as takoyaki, yakitori, yakisoba, karaage, and taiyaki. They also saw some that didn't normally see in Tokyo, like grilled scallops and sea berm. Kurosaki immediately loaded them up with candy apples and cotton candy as soon as he spied the stalls.

They tried several of the games, their competitive natures taking over as they challenged each other. Teru's horrible throwing arm had her bouncing a ring off of the head of the man in charge of the ring toss, but Kurosaki won a mask. He chose a tengu mask, just in case Teru didn't get to see her scary mountain god at the shrine. She won at an archery game, trying not to notice how everyone (who had seen her at the ring toss) took cover when she took aim. She chose a smiling okame mask and they both wore them to the side as they tried a little bit of everything.

They played with cork guns, cards, and water pistols. They played kingyu suku, trying to scoop the goldfish into dishes before their paper scoop broke. Teru found that she had a knack and showed a grumbling, fishless Kurosaki her bowl of gold and black prizes. She was ready to toss them back in the water (since she couldn't take them on the plane) when she noticed a little boy crying over his broken wand. She had the fish bagged then, with a nod from the grateful parent, she gave the little boy her winnings.

Kurosaki held her steady as the sturdy little boy tackled her legs in thanks.

He pulled her into a small photobooth that had been up for the occasion, pulling the curtain shut behind them. They did the normal routine, smiles and v's for the camera. They even bowed their heads and held their hands as though in prayer as a visual reminder of where they were.

Teru stood up to slide out of the booth when she noticed Kurosaki feeding more money into the slot. She was about to ask him what other poses he wanted to do when he pulled her into his lap.

"Kurosaki!"

"One more." He cupped her cheek as she looked up at him, slightly scandalized. He ran his thumb over her lower lip, barely registering the first click of the shutter. First he kissed her forehead, then her eye, before moving on to her mouth.

She raised her hands to his shoulders as he kissed her lips, softly at first, then more firmly as he tilted his head, his hand moving from her cheek to the back of her neck to angle her better for his attentions. Her mouth slowly opened at the lave of his tongue along the seam of her lips. She felt the world go hazy as he gently explored her mouth with his tongue. He whispered to her how he wanted her to kiss him back, their tongues meeting in a lazy dance. No thrusting, no frenzied madness, just a worshipful attention that to Teru, felt like a wordless 'I love you'.

A sudden banging had them jerking apart, eyes wide as they stared at each other, breathless.

"You kids stop that now." A chiding voice told them through the curtain. "There's a line of people out here waiting their turn."

"Sorry. No problem," Kurosaki replied after he got his voice back. "We'll be right out."

Teru put hands to her hot cheeks, but Kurosaki pulled them away, kissing each hand before winking at her. "Here." He pulled her mask around and over her face, being careful of her hair. "Instant anonymity."

She did the same to him. "We should have gotten pictures with the masks on."

"We'll get some more on our way back."

She scooted off his lap. "I don't know. I think this booth is dangerous. We should probably just use our phones."

They exited the booth and were indeed met with this island's version of a line...of three people. Kurosaki scooped up the photos and trotted after a quick moving Teru. "Hey, wait up! Man, you're fast for someone in essentially a tight skirt." He caught her by the arm and brought her to a stop. "You okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine," she said from behind the mask of the goddess of happiness. He knew she hated that kind of public scene. He felt safe smiling behind the mask. If she knew how much he enjoyed her discomfiture she'd probably kick him.

"Good." He dragged he to a large tree stump that was out of sight from the festival, but still had access to the lantern light. "Let's look at the pictures." He handed her one of the strips.

Teru kept her eyes closed for a moment, afraid of what she would see, then she opened one eye to peek and let out a sigh of relief. It was the first set they'd taken, in all it's glaring normalcy. He was handsome. She loved it.

She looked over at Kurosaki and found his masked face staring at the print in his hand. "Um, how's that one?" He didn't respond so she scooted closer to him. "Can...can I see it?" She was certain she looked young and gauche, but she wanted to see him in the picture.

He wordlessly handed it over.

Like before, she closed her eyes, took a breath, and then opened them. Her breath immediately caught. This wasn't some sordid exhibition, as she'd feared. Instead, the first picture showed them looking at each other at close range, oblivious to the camera. And what she saw on both their faces was a sort of awe.

And thankfulness.

And love.

Even as he'd kissed her face, his was reverent while hers was soft and open. The last picture didn't show their clutch at the end, but instead, caught the very moment before their lips met. Their eyes were closed, and both their faces reflected the breathless longing that the other felt.

Her eyes filled and she thanked god for the mask that still covered her own face. She handed it back to him and scooted over until she could lay her head on his shoulder. "Do you think we can get copies?"

He gave a laugh that sounded suspiciously wet to her before he put his arm around her shoulder and held her close. "Hell with that. I'm blowing this sucker up into a mural."

She swatted his arm. "Don't you dare," she sniffed. "A poster size will do just fine."

"Yes, ma'am."


	12. Chapter 12

They took off their masks and put the pictures into her purse. Then they sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the moment and each other. Eventually Kurosaki looked at the shrine gate a few meters away, the arched red structure towering as tall as the surrounding trees.

"Do you hear that?"

Teru tilted her head. "I can hear music. Not just the drums."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead then stood up, pulling her up with him. "That probably means something's about to start. Let's go see."

They walked through the gate and were immediately presented with a tall stone staircase that was carved directly into the mountain, the top of the stairs lost to the trees. Endless years of worshipers had worn shiny depressions into the stairs, a silent testament to the age of the shrine.

They climbed the stairs, Teru lifting her hem with one hand so she wouldn't trip. Teenagers in plain clothes and yukatas sat on the stairs here and ther talking with friends. Children ran ahead of them, their parents yelling for them to slow down, while they passed an old man with a cane who took each step with excruciating care and slowness. Teru was out of breath by the time they neared the top, while Kurosaki was disgustingly unfazed.

"It's not fair," she wheezed. "You eat crap most of the time. You smoke a pack a day!"

He shrugged and patted his flat stomach. "Being a janitor keeps me fit, I guess."

"I've seen you work. I don't buy it."

He was still teasing her about her fitness when they got to the top, the another red gate arching above the top step.

"Oh!"

Kurosaki looked up at Teru's soft exclamation. It seems the whole village was wandering around the shrine grounds, but he knew what had Teru transfixed was the shrine building.

Set in the middle of the grounds, the shrine was small and old, but obviously well-tended. A tall, sloping wooden roof came down nearly to the ground, while the building itself was painted white and red. A small, slatted collection box sat in front a small staircase that led up to the shrine doors. The doors were open wide, haraegushi, the white zig-zagged purification streamers hung over the entryway where the divine palanquin sat. As they watched, the shrine attendants picked up the palanquin and carried it off, indicating that the deity had moved into the shrine proper.

There were no naked statues, but through the doors of the shrine they could see a statue of a bald male figure with a tattoo on his chest. At first Teru thought it was Buddha or a bhodisatvah, but it didn't quite look like any she'd seen.

Red cord as tied to every finger and toe of the figure. In fact, looking around, Teru realized that the stuff was everywhere. It hung from the buildings, the streamers, even from the roof of the omairi where people washed their hands before approaching the shrine. In one corner of the grounds, it served a see-through curtain for the stage structure where traditional musicians and drummers were drawing a crowd.

Kurosaki tugged her over to the omairi before heading towards the stage. They stood there holding hands and talking about the buildings and the food stalls until the music suddenly stopped and the head priest came onto the stage.

He put his hands together in prayer. "Tonight we thank Gekka-O for his amazing gift to mankind. His spirit is here with us and will bless us through the kagura."

"A kagura is a holy dance," Teru whispered to him.

Kurosaki rolled his eyes and pulled her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her so and drawing her back to rest against him. "Uh huh."

"All you couples, all you lonely ones, thank him or beseech him for his blessing tonight."

They looked at each other and mouthed the words, "couples?".

The stage lit up as the priest left and through the curtain a tall, masked figure emerged. Clad in an opulent robe and a long flowing wig made up of the same red cord they'd seen everywhere, the representation of Gekka-O moved to center stage and held up his suza miss, a wand of bells and streamers, and waited for the music.

It was amazing, Kurosaki thought, how the entire crowd could go quiet so fast. Even those that were on other parts of the grounds and not near the stage had stopped talking, pausing what they were doing to turn towards the stage in silent attention. He also noticed how all of the couples, young and old, all at once held hands.

A lone flute and a drum struck up a tune.

Teru had never seen a traditional dance in person. The figure glided across the stage, dipping, twirling, and even jumping at times, punctuating the movements with his bells. The instrument blended perfectly with the two others, making the music both happy and reverential.

Kurosaki felt Teru stroke his sleeve and looked down just as she rubbed her cheek against his arm. He closed his eyes for a second and thanked the gods for his luck then hugged her just a little closer.

Gekka-O twirled one last time and kneeled with a flourish, bells raised with one last flourish. All music but the drums died away and a man and a woman, also wearing masks, emerged from the curtains to stand on either side of the god. Gekka-O, still kneeling, pulled one of the red cords from the wig and tied one end around the man's ankle, then the woman's. The drums got faster, he then stood and took each of their hands and brought them together until the couple were holding hands. Gekka-O let go and clapped his hands and the drums stopped. The lights on stage went out a moment later and the faint jingle of bells could be heard as the kagura came to an end.

The crowd was silent for a moment and then erupted into applause.

Kurosaki looked around. "Is that really the appropriate response for a holy ceremony?" He whispered to her. He then noticed that she was blushing and tense in his arms. "Hey! What's up?"

"Ah, I think I know what kind of god Gekka-O is."

"Yeah?" He turned her around in his arms to he could see her face, keeping her close as the crowd began to disperse. "What kind?"

She snuck a peek at his face. "You're sure you didn't know anything about this shrine?"

"Yeah. Why?" He winced. "Oh god, that wasn't some sort of fake sacrificial reenactment was it? With the cord around the ankle thing?"

She gave a delicate little snort. "No."

"Slavery?"

She swatted his chest. "No! Listen, have you ever heard of the red cord of fate?"

He scrunched up his face as he thought about it for a second. "Is it that thing around the finger that you see in shoujo manga all the time? Not that I've read any, of course," he quickly stated. "But as the janitor, I've cleaned up after more than one teenage girl who's left a copy behind."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, it's the thing around the finger. The god of fate, love, and marriage ties a red string around two people who are fated to be together."

"But this one did it around their ankles."

"Right," she said excitedly. "But the actual legend goes that the string was tied around the ankle, not their fingers. I never knew the name, but I think that's who this is!"

He raised a finger. "So you're telling me that the first shrine festival I ever bring us to is for a god of love?"

"Don't forget marriage, fate, sex, and fertility," an old voice said from beside them.

They looked over, then down, to find a tiny, frail old woman with a cane. She poked Kurosaki in the leg and let out a cackle. "And what other shrine do you think the two of you should be at, eh?" She used her cane to lift up the hem of their yukatas and peeked underneath.

Kurosaki reminded himself that he couldn't yell at the elderly, let alone smack canes out of the hands of old women. Teru could apparently read his mood because she reached up and smacked a hand over his mouth. "Can we help you, Grandmother?"

The old woman smiled and shook her head. "No, no. And you obviously don't need mine, either." She poked Kurosaki with her cane again and Teru kept her hand over his mouth, just in case. "Take care of her." This time she poked Teru. "And you do the same. Understand?"

They both shook their heads.

The old woman waved airy hand and turned away. "Never mind. I have actual work to do with the other idiots here tonight. Goodbye."

They watched her walk away for a moment, then Kurosaki shook off the hand that was still over his mouth. "What a random, crazy, old lady." He grinned. "I like her."

"Of course you do," she laughed, looping her arms around his waist. "I bet you can't until you're a grumpy old man and you can make semi-rude, cryptic remarks to young folks."

"Please, I don't have to wait until I'm old to enjoy doing that."

"Don't I know it." She rested her head against his chest. "Um, I just want to say that I like the fact that the first shrine festival were ever at is one for a god of love."

He kissed the top of her head, avoiding the hair sticks. "Don't forget the other things unless you want that old lady back." He smoothed a hair off her forehead as she laughed. "I'm glad too, you know. Can we pretend I did it on purpose so I can get extra boyfriend points?"

She leaned back to look up at him with a raised an eyebrow. "If I say yes do I get extra girlfriend points?"

"Ehhhh," he shrugged, then jumped as she dug a knuckle into his ribs. "I mean, what points?" He put his arm around her shoulders and steered them towards the shrine where the clink of coins and the ring of the prayer bell took over as the music for the grounds. They got in line. "Besides, if there were points, I'm already light years ahead because I said it first."

Teru gasped and he grabbed her hand before she could poke him again. "You did not say it first!"

"The hell I didn't." He said easily. "Were we even on the same Ferris wheel ride?"

Teru blushed at the memory, but held firm. "I told you, Daisy, that I loved you, Kurosaki waaay before that ever happened."

He gaped at her. "That does not count! You didn't even know I was the one and the same when you did that!"

"I suspected, though. And I found the music box not long after that, so then I knew that you knew. Plus, everybody already knew that I loved you."

He shook his head and patted hers. "Doesn't count. Glory and credit goes to the one who actually says it to the other person's face. Third person confessions are null and void." He held up a hand and ticked off points. "Romantic venue. Check. Said 'I love you, Teru'. Check. Kissed you. Check. Plus, you cried happy tears. Bonus check."

Teru smiled. She didn't mind losing this one. She also had a feeling that all of her friends would back him up on this particular point. "Alright, alright. You win that one, but I still said it third/second person first, so you are not light years ahead." She looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile. "Just slightly ahead."

"And don't you forget it."

It was soon their turn at the long wooden offering box. Kurosaki offered her a coin, but she dug one out of her reticule. "It's okay. I want to do one for myself."

He gave her a look, then shrugged. "Okay. On 'three'. One, two, three."

They threw the coins through the slats, rang the ancient bell that hung beside the box, then clapped their hands twice, bowing as they closed their eyes in prayer.

Teru straightened and opened her eyes before Kurosaki and stood watching him for a few seconds. He looked serious, his eyebrows drawn together as he silently said his piece to Gekka-O. He finally straightened up, taking her hand and moving aside as someone from the line behind them coughed delicately to get them moving.

"So, what did you ask for?" Kurosaki asked.

"I can't tell you that! And who says I asked for anything?"

"Oh, come on. It's not like it won't come true if you don't say it out loud." He smirked at the flush that was slowly moving into her cheeks. "Unless, you can't say it out loud, you know, 'cause there are kids around."

"Speak for yourself, you big perv," she pushed him away with a laugh.

"Actually," he drawled, "there was one thing I was looking forward to this spring when I can finally put my hands on...mrphfph," he finished with the small hand suddenly over his mouth.

"Kurosaki don't you dare!" Teru squeaked.

He removed her hand, kissing the palm before he smirked at her again. "How do you know what I was going to say? Maybe there's a new video game out this spring that I've been wanting to get my hands on."

"I went with the odds," she told him teasingly. "And, um, I just thanked him, actually. You know." He eyes dropped bashfully. "For you."

Kurosaki's fists clenched for a moment, theN he took a breath. He knew how Teru felt about PDA, but she was going to have to get over it at this particular moment.

"Eeep!" Teru squeaked as Kurosaki suddenly picked her up. He was careful of her obi, picking her up low on the waist, but as a result she was suddenly slightly taller than him. She looked down at his face, his features softened in that look he only gave her. "Kurosaki?"

"I did the same thing," he told her. "I thanked him for you, too." He paused. "And I may have asked for some things...you know, for later on." He smiled at her eye roll. "Kiss me."

She looked around them, scandalized. "Here?" She whispered.

They had walked around the shrine to the back and we're now, temporarily at least, alone. "Yup. Kiss me, Teru."

She gave him a quick peck and jerked back up, wiggling a little to see if he'd let her go.

He held her tighter and shook his head. "Nope. Try again."

"Okay, okay. Give me a second." Teru took a breath and closed her eyes, just so she wouldn't know whether or not people were watching.

This was one of the things she had prayed about. She was always so nervous with Kurosaki during moments like this. She wanted to feel more confident. She also wanted him to enjoy it too and not have to treat his girlfriend like a skittish horse all the time. She asked for Gekka-O's aid one more time, and bent her head.

Kurosaki smiled as she leaned down, her eyes still closed. He turned his head slightly to make sure she didn't miss, then closed his own eyes to enjoy himself.

Oh, God. Kurosaki locked his knees as the hand she'd cupped along his jaw slid back and feathered along his ear. At the same time, she pressed her lips to his, once, twice, then she opened her mouth and made a tentative line along his lips with her tongue.

That was it.

Kurosaki took a few steps backwards until his back hit the back wall of the shrine. When he was sure he wouldn't drop her or fall down he opened his mouth slightly and let her drive him nuts.

Teru had waited for him to take the lead in the kiss when his lips parted, but he didn't. Knowing he was letting her take the lead emboldened her. She turned her head to the side and fit her mouth carefully over his. First, she tasted his lips once more. Next, she flicked a tongue over his teeth before reaching deeper, seeking his tongue. He was playing with her, she thought hazily. He'd flick his tongue over hers, brush by it or keep his own back until she found that she was opening her mouth wider, reaching deeper, until she coaxed his own into the full contact that she craved.

She could hear herself, the panting breaths she took when they parted for a moment before they came together again. She could also hear, and feel, what she was doing to Kurosaki and that kept her coming back for more and more. He still let her take the lead, but his arms were so tight around her she couldn't move (not that she wanted to). His breaths sounded much like hers. But she found that he liked it when she rubbed the roof of his mouth with the tip of her tongue. She also realized that stroking his ears, even accidentally (and then not accidentally) made his whole body shiver and his arms clench around her. She was concentrating so much on him and his reactions that she forgot to be self-conscious and instead just enjoyed herself. And him.

Kurosaki had a thought through the pure fog that was his brain that they'd have to stop soon. For some reason.

But Teru had never kissed him like this. In fact, she was usually pretty passive, her obvious nervousness stopping him long before they could get to these long, drugging kisses that he'd craved. The few times they'd gotten close she'd become overwhelmed and he'd had to reign himself in. Having her hands clenched in his hair, her mouth slowly explore his, feeling her hot breath as she broke their kiss to breath or change angles, was better than he'd ever imagined.

And he's imagined plenty these past couple of months.

He forgot himself for a moment and sucked her tongue into his mouth and biting down lightly. The moan that came from deep in her throat had him breaking the kiss and setting her abruptly back on her feet.

They both swayed, panting, and held on to each other for balance. Kurosaki then turned, pulling Teru until she had her back against the shrine wall. He put a hand on either side of her, bending a bit at the waist so that his yukata would hide his 'problem' while he got himself together. He looked at her, then closed his eyes at her drowsy-looking shining eyes, puffy lips, and softened features.

"Holy shit," he whispered. "Where'd you learn that?"

Don't be too shy, she reminded herself, though she wanted to hide in her oversized sleeves from nerves that had come whooshing back once he'd set her down. "I just kissed you the way you kiss me sometimes. Is that okay?"

Her heart about stopped when he dropped his head as though in defeat. Maybe she hadn't read him right. Maybe he hadn't enjoyed it like she had. Maybe...

He rubbed a hand over his face then stood up, taking a deep breath. "Oh, yeah. That's more than okay." Teru sighed in relief, but lost her breath the next moment at the look he gave her. "Hey Teru?"

"Yeah?"

"It's probably a good idea if you only kiss me like that in private."

She turned beet red. "And whose idea was it that I kiss you?!"

He ran both his hands through his hair, making it stand on nearly end. "Oh, don't worry. I'm totally taking credit for that little interlude. Now wait here for a second."

She watched, confused, as he ran over to a group of teenage boys. Kurosaki stood nearly a foot taller than any of them, and as she watched, he stood to to toe with one of them, pointing and obviously threatening until the frightened boy handed over phone. Kurosaki keyed something into the phone, looked at his own, then handed the phone back to the teenager with a few more obvious threats.

Teru's foot was tapping in annoyance by the time Kurosaki came back over. "Did they do what I think they did?"

"What? Did they take a couple of pictures and a short video of one of the best moments of my life?" He pulled out his smartphone and smiled at it. "Then yes."

"Those jerks!"

Kurosaki grabbed her before she could stomp off after the group that had already run away. "It's okay! I took it off their phones...after I sent it to mine. I also threatened them with my fake Tokyo gang that's supposedly staying on the island." He waggled his phone at her. "Do you wanna see?"

Teru dropped her face into her hands. "No!"

"Are you suuuuure?" He practically sang, hanging the phone above her head like mistletoe.

"Yes, I'm sure!" She swatted at the phone. "At least wait until I'm not dying of embarrassment!"

"Oh, so you do want to see it."

Teru smoothed the skirt of her yukata and picked up her reticule from where it had fallen on the ground. Her solemn 'go bald, Kurosaki' did nothing but make him laugh.

Next up, the shrine oracle and fireworks! Please take a moment if you're enjoying this to write a review. I love those things. Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13

They came out from behind the shrine and found that the crowds had gotten even bigger as more and more people climbed he stairs to the shrine. It was full dark at this point, but the shrine area had so many lanterns and torches that it was nearly as light as day.

"We should go back down the stairs if we want a good view of the fireworks," Kurosaki told her.

"Or I could tell you where to find the best view," said a deep voice behind them.

They looked over and found the old man with the cane who had been laboriously climbing the stairs sitting outside one of huts that dotted the shrine grounds.

He looked much too small to have that deep a voice, but after drawing on his pipe he pointed to the rear shrine grounds and told them, "Back by the well you'll find an elm tree. There isn't a trail for a few meters, but then you'll find one that leads to a little hill that sticks out just right." He blew a smoke ring in the air with an ease and skill that Kurosaki admired. "Best view for fire works, if you ask me."

"Well, we didn't so..."

Teru stepped on Kurosaki's foot. "Thank you, Grandfather. It's a popular spot, I take it?"

He took a wheezing deep breath and appeared to ponder the question for a moment. "Nope. Only a few locals know it, but most prefer other spots." He tapped his pipe out against his shoe and smiled. "Me and the Mrs. used to go there every year, but our old bones can't take the climb anymore. It's someone else's turn now, and it might as well be you two."

Kurosaki and Teru looked at each other. Kurosaki shrugged his acceptance so Teru turned to the old man. "Thank you, Grandfather. Enjoy the rest of the festival."

He nodded at the pair and watched them walk away a few steps before stopping to argue about whether or not to go back down the stairs to load up on more food before heading to the hill.

His wife of 68 years came out of the building he was sitting against. "Well? Did ya get it?" she asked.

He handed the small, wrinkled old woman the bag of cotton candy he'd brought back from the stalls and all the way those accursed stairs. "Of course I did."

She looked over at the young woman sitting on a bench to wait (with her mask on) while her man ran down the stairs to get their food. She nudged her husband. "Look familiar?"

"Hmpf. You notice that she's keeping her mask on so all the boys don't come sniffing around while he's gettin' a snack."

She rolled her eyes at the old argument. "The shrine oracle is not allowed to wear those masks and you know it. Just like a priest," she poked him, "isn't allowed to punch out the worshipers."

"Worshiper my ass," he groused and crossed his arms. "He was there to hit on girls and you know it."

"Of course I knew. I'm the oracle!" She poked him in the leg much she had Kurosaki. "Hey. Did you see it?"

"Don't poke me, woman." He took her wrinkled old hand with his gnarled one. "Hard to miss it, you ask me. Their's is the brightest, thickest one here tonight."

"You mean, besides ours." They looked down at their worn old limbs, but the red cord that bound them was still just as shiny and fresh as the day they'd met.

She had been one of the villagers down below when one day she could see the cord on her ankle. She followed it up the stairs and as soon as she'd stepped in the grounds she could see cords around everyone's feet. In that moment she had become the new takusen, or oracle, destined to help lead those to the people at the end of their cord. It'd just turned out that hers had led directly to the new priest who had the same sight. In all their years at the shrine, they were the only ones they knew of that could see Gekka-O's red string.

"We should tell them about the hill we used to sneak away to so they can see the fireworks," she said.

"What kind of oracle are you," he teased. "I already did all that."

"I'm kind that can tell you what will happen to you if you don't get my sign put out!" She poked his chair. "What kind of festival is it if the oracle doesn't dole out some love advice, eh?"

"Alright, alright," he grumbled as she went back inside. He smiled to himself as Kurosaki came bounding up the stairs with food and drink. They'll be just fine, he thought, watching as their cord got brighter and shorter the nearer the couple got. It shone in such a way that meant several of the dead (probably family members) had also blessed Gekka-O's decision.

Lucky bastards, he thought affectionately as he went inside to get the sign.


	14. Chapter 14

"That old bastard," Kurosaki groused as he balanced the food in one hand and helped Teru over a branch with the other. "Trail my ass."

Teru huffed out a breath and held her phone out once again to light their way. "That's not fair, Kurosaki. There is a trail here, after all. Sort of."

"What's with the old people here anyway? Old ladies poking me with canes. Old men sending us off into the wilderness to die." He gripped her hand a little tighter. "Maybe they really hate tourists and they kill off a few every year to discourage more from coming."

Teru patted his arm. "You'd have read about it on the Internet if that were the case. I'm sure it's close. Don't be so paranoid."

Suddenly they heard the drums start up once again through the trees.

"Maybe this is where they send a pack of rabid dogs out to hunt us down."

Teru rolled her eyes and pulled him along. "Will you shut up? We haven't been walking that...oh, my god."

The walked around a massive tree and came to an abrupt stop as the trail ended in a grassy knoll filled with flowers. The small, gently sloping mound of earth stuck out from the mountain, a stark contrast between the rocky outcrops and the stepped rice paddies they could see surrounding them.

"How come we couldn't see this before," she asked.

He didn't ask why she was whispering. It felt they had stumbled upon someone's secret spot. Which, based off of the old man's description, they had. "The trees below block the view from the shrine," he noted. He pointed to the town below which they could barely make out through the trees. "And someone would have to be on a rooftop to view this from town."

They spread out a paper tablecloth that Kurosaki had snagged from one of the vendors and sat down to eat.

Once Teru figured out how to (modestly) sit on the ground in her yukata, Kurosaki handed her her food. She nibbled on her karaage, or fried chicken on a stick, and looked up at the cloudless sky. "Do you really think we'll be able to see the fireworks?"

As soon as she said it, the drumming stopped and the first rocket fired through the air. It exploded in a cascading sunburst of color directly in front of them as though they were watching it dead center on the biggest screen on earth.

"Oh wow!" Kurosaki laughed and deliberately set aside one of the fish-shaped taiyakis. "Okay, we owe the old man. I'll give him one of these when we go back down."

They finished their food, oohing and aawing as the fireworks steadily got more elaborate. Kurosaki ended up sprawled out beside her, propped up on his elbow as they enjoyed the show together.

Teru's hands itched as his hair brushed her arm. She wanted so badly to just run them through the blonde locks, to play with the strands and memorize their texture.

Why couldn't she, she thought and straightened her shoulders. It could also give her the chance to try something else she'd wanted to experience with Kurosaki.

She waited until there was a pause between fireworks. "Um, are you comfortable like that?" She nodded at his pasha-like pose.

Kurosaki shrugged and took a sip from his drink. "Sure." He looked her way when she didn't say anything else and saw her clenching her fists in a way that meant she was gearing herself up for something. He smirked and poked her in the arm. "Whyyyyy?"

She smoothed her skirt without looking at him. "I was just thinking that if you were uncomfortable you could, um, lie down. If you wanted to, that is."

He'd never admit out loud to another person, but sometimes his heart just fluttered around her. There was no other word for that feeling in his chest as he watched her tentatively spread her wings with him...even if she did blush other the effort. "Hmm," he drawled. "That's a good idea."

Teru felt like smacking her forehead (and his) as he flopped onto his back beside her with his hands behind his head.

Rena would have known how to do this.

She took a breath and tried again. "Kurosaki, have you ever heard of a lap-pillow?" She asked casually.

He pursed his brows as though in thought and tried not to snicker. "I'm not sure. What is it?"

"Well, sometimes you'll see couples sitting around at school and if one of them wants to lie down, they might put their head in the other person's lap. Like a pillow," she finished lamely.

"I see. I think have seen that around campus." It was a good thing she wasn't looking at him, he thought, or he couldn't have strung it out this long. He decided to take pity on her. Sort of. "Now, why don't you just say, "Kurosaki, I want to play with your hair and gaze lovingly into your eyes"," he said in a falsetto voice.

He caught the purse that she swung at his face with a laugh. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry." He kissed her hand, snickering again as she jerked it back to cross her arms over her chest. "You don't have to gaze into my eyes. We're supposed to be watching fireworks, after all."

"Forget I said anything," she said with a pout. She looked away so she wouldn't laugh as Kurosaki quickly moved and laid down with his head in her lap.

"Ahhh," he sighed in exaggerated bliss. "Girls make the best pillows."

She giggled despite herself and pushed his face away. "Shut up you pervert."

More fireworks came and went. Kurosaki pointed out the shapes and shared what he knew about how the colors were mixed and the shapes were made. He kept his gaze on the sky, just in case looking at her made her stop what she was doing. Because what she was doing felt freaking amazing.

As soon as Kurosaki had focused on the sky she had casually run a hand over the ends of his hair, glancing at his face to see if he'd noticed or if he minded. When he showed no reaction she got bolder and bolder until she was running her fingers from roots to end, lost in the feel of the silk against her skin.

He closed his eyes at one point so he could concentrate on not groaning. She had a gift, but no way would he suggest giving up psychology for massage school. This magic was all his.

She delicately over one eyebrow, then the other. "Kurosaki?" She said softly.

He opened his eyes as she ran a single finger gently down the lines of his face. "Yeah?"

One hand continued combing through his hair as the other traced his bottom lip. "I think the fireworks have ended," she whispered as she bent her head.

Sure enough, the silence around them seemed deeper due to the sudden cessation of noise. In fact, the shrine, the village, they felt like none of it existed from where they sat on their hill.

He raised a hand and curved it around the back of her neck. "Uh, huh."

He didn't pull her down, but instead just held her as she slowly closed the distance. Kurosaki closed his eyes again as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then his eyebrows, his eyes; she conducted a study of his face with her lips that had him sighing her name into the dark.

The kiss she finally gave him on the lips was soft and nearly reverential. A sip of lips that lingered into a slow press of lips that had his hand slipping from her nape to cup her face. They parted with a soft sigh, pulling back just far enough to look at each other and smile.

Teru pressed one last kiss to his forehead and sat up. She nearly laughed when she realized that she had indeed gazed lovingly into his eyes. "Ah, do you think the festival is over?"

He picked up her hand and played with her fingers, holding on jealously to the floaty feeling she'd induced.

Best. Lap pillow. Ever.

"Technically. I guess."

She watched the cloud of smoke the firecrackers had left dissipate in the mountain air. "You know," she began, using her free hand to trace the edge of his ears and smiling when he put a hand over hers to stop her. He must be ticklish. "You may have shot yourself in the foot tonight."

Know that he could think again after she'd messed with his weak spot, he frowned as mentally reviewed the evening. "How so?"

"I guess I mean that it's pretty dangerous to give me the best date I'll ever have so early in our relationship," she shrugged.

He brought her hand to his mouth and nibbled at her fingers and her palm until she was giggling and trying to yank it away. "You don't know what the future holds, woman." He admonished her. "I have yet to show you the best of my dating repertoire. You never know what I'll do," for you and to you, he finished in his head, thinking of the (grown up) years they had before them.

His innocent Teru just clucked her tongue. "We'll see. All I can say now is 'good luck', because right now it seems like nothing will beat this evening." She smiled at him as he sat up off of her lap. "It was perfect. Thank you for tonight, Kurosaki."

He leaned forward and kissed her. Careful not to linger to long or kiss her deeply while they were alone. At night. By themselves. Alone, he thought again. He gave his head a mental shake and pulled back, reaching out to pick up the trash from their fair food. "You're welcome. Ah, we should probably get down there before they start turning off all of those lanterns. We don't want to go down that staircase in the dark."

"Good call."

They packed up and went back through the woods. Maybe it was because they'd reestablished the dinky footpath, but the trip back seemed much less arduous. They emerged onto the temple grounds and found that despite the hour, and despite the end of fireworks being the traditional end to a festival, things were still going strong.

They left the taiyaki for the old man on the chair where they'd last seen him; his cane and pipe there as evidence he'd be back.

"What if some kids take it? She asked.

He shrugged. "Then hopefully he'll whack 'em with that cane of his."

"That's not nice."

He shrugged again. "Eh."

They held hands as they climbed down the staircase. Teru paused as they got to the bottom step, and therefor the last shrine gate. She turned around one last time and pulled her hand free from his, clapping them together as she closed her eyes, thanking Gekka-O for both Kurosaki and a wonderful evening.

Kurosaki did the same (in his head) and finished with a nod towards the ancient shrine. He took her hand once more when she turned around. "Ready to beat the traffic?"

"What traffic? They all live here!"

"Okay. Let me put it this way: ready to get back to our friends and have them mercilessly grill you about the evening?"

She sniffed. "That's your friends. Mine will delicately allude to the evening while patiently waiting for details that may or may not be forthcoming."

"Princess," he chucked her under the chin. "You're adorable when you're clueless."


	15. Chapter 15

They made their way back through the fair and then the town streets to get back to the car. Teru made noises about changing back into her dress, but trailed off at Kurosaki's snicker, realizing that there was no place to change. So they stayed in their yukatas for the drive back to the resort, even though Kurosaki had pointed out that he could change back into his suit pants (at least) without removing his robe. Being a guy, he'd boasted, he didn't even have to put a shirt on.

He had been firmly overruled by a blushing Teru.

He pulled up to the entrance of the resort and got out of the car. Adjusting his yukata, he ignored the deliberately straight face of the valet and retrieved the bags with their original outfits. He came around the side as one of the door staff helped Teru out of the car.

Taking her hand deliberately out of the grip of the attendant, he asked, "Did you get everything?" And glared at the man until he muttered 'good evening' and skittered back to his post. Damn poachers.

"Yup." Teru tried to take the bag with her dress from him, but drew her arm back at his growl. She smiled at him and took his arm instead. "What time do we leave for home tomorrow? I don't think Riko told me."

He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. "Let's see, our plane leaves at 7am and we should be there an hour before that, sooo ...in about four hours."

"What?" She yelled, immediately covering her mouth as the few people in the lobby turned to stare. She pulled at his arm and hurried to the elevators. "Oh my god! I haven't packed. I haven't done anything! had no idea it was so late!"

He smiled as she went to town on the button for their floor. "Riko's already packed your things," he told her as the elevator began to move. "I wasn't going to tell any of them what we were doing tonight, but I needed her to grab a pair of your shoes for your costume change. She said to tell she'd take care of it that you were to relax and enjoy yourself."

She blew out a relieved breath, then shook her finger at him. "But you didn't tell me until now!"

"So? It didn't come up until now." The elevator dinged as it reached their floor, but he reached out and hit the 'close' button. He clicked the button for the top floor then took a slow, deliberate step towards her. He felt a deep satisfaction when she she blushed and took a step back, bumping into the elevator wall.

He swung the garment bags over one shoulder, holding onto the hangers with one finger while he put his hand on the wall beside her head. He leaned forward until she was effectively caged and lowered his head to her ear. "It's actually your fault," he purred.

Oh god. She was going to fall down. His voice had dropped in timber, going deeper and slower until she swore she could feel the rumble of it in her chest. "W-what do you mean?"

"I saw you there in the lobby in your little black dress, looking like every man's dream, and since then," His breath whispered over her ear and neck as he spoke, making her eyes close and her whole body shiver. "I haven't thought of anything but you all night," he confessed, and dropped an open-mouthed kiss on the long line of her neck.

She grabbed the edges of his yukata as her knees all but buckled.

He took his time, having realized that they would only truly be alone for a few more minutes before their relationship fell back under the congenial (if protective) scrutiny of their friends. Once they got home they'd have to be discreet once again; hiding their relationship from neighbors and the school. That meant these were the last few moments, on this island where no one knew them and no one was looking, that he could kiss her where and when he liked.

And he liked her neck. She'd said she wasn't wearing any perfume, but the scent of her still made him feel drunk. He lapped at the spot where her neck and shoulder met and felt her pulse jump against his tongue. He lightly bit the same spot and grinned wickedly when she gave a little whimper. "When do you back to school?"

He was still talking? Why was he still talking!? She unconsciously tilted her head so he could address the other side."What? I...I don't kno...um, the week after next." she panted. "I think. I don't care."

Her broken and breathy voice made him feel like a god. He ran small, biting kisses up her neck until he was next to her ear. "I just wanted to know so that if I happened to leave a mark right...here," he brushed his lightly stubbled chin against the ultra sensitive spot beneath her ear, making her gasp, "It'd have time to fade before you went back to class." He smiled against her skin. "Though I like idea of branding you where everyone can see."

Teru had quickly realized that this was quite a bit different from just kissing. She went fuzzy headed right away when they kissed, but she was an active participant. This...he wasn't touching her anywhere else. He didn't hold her (though she had a death grip on the edges of his robe) and he didn't press against her or hold her as he sometimes did. Instead, she could only concentrate on the sensation of his lips on her skin and the way his breath would leave a damp heat that caused bumps to race across her skin.

His words and the rough brush of his stubble against her made her gasp. But when he made good on his threat and put his mouth on her, kissing and then drawing on the flesh with an erotic suction, she couldn't help but cry out, her whole frame trembling as her mind tried to make sense of the maddening sensation.

Kurosaki was trembling nearly as hard by the time he stopped. He lifted his head and pressed it to the wall for a second as he tried to regain his equilibrium. After a moment, ...or three, he stood up pressed their floor number before removing her hands that were still clenched on his yukata.

She looked dazed, he thought, but the devil on his shoulder poked him and corrected his terminology. She looked...aroused. Her face looked soft, the pupils of her eyes were huge, and she still stood immobile, trembling a little as she raised a hand to her trembling throat. He stopped her, pulling it away so he could inspect his handiwork.

Teru looked up at his face and saw pride, possessiveness, aaaand the slight wince. "What's wrong?" She sighed, not really caring at this moment.

"Ah, nothing." He brushed a fingertip over the stubble burn he'd inadvertently left, as well as the larger-than-intended-but-still-intended hickey she now sported. "Just admiring my work.

She swatted his hand away when what she really wanted to do was grab him by the hair and kiss him again. She smoothed down her yukata and tried to control her breathing. It was a little hard given how close he still stood. "Um, you know, it feels like we've kissed more these three days than all the months we've been going out," she noted shyly.

He stepped back and took her hand as their floor got closer. "Well, duh."

The elevator doors opened, but Teru just stood there. "Huh?"

Kurosaki tugged her through before the doors could close and grinned at her confused expression. "At home we have to be careful, right, because we never know who's watching. I can't kiss you like I want to when we're in a public place or at school. In our apartments...," he gave her a look that had her gulping. "Let's just say that I'm very aware of the markers that we've set for now and that I'm also aware of my own limits."

She gulped again. "And here?"

"Here, nobody's looking. Our friends support us." They got to the room she shared with Riko and stood there, holding hands. He smiled at her, a tender, loving smile that told of his joy. "Here, I'm just on vacation with my girlfriend."

The thought that this weekend could be their 'normal' in just a few short months made her want to cry with happiness. "You forgot 'and company'."

He deliberately looked up and down the hallway. "What company? Like I said, here, we're a perfectly normal couple. Now," he set the garment bags on the floor and pulled her forward, drawing her arms up until they circled around his neck. "I'm going to do what normal boyfriends do at the end of a date." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up until she was nearly on her toes. "I'm going to kiss my girlfriend goodnight."

This last kiss of the evening was sweet and nearly poignant as their lips said their thanks, told of their longing, and spoke of their love.

Kurosaki raised his head with a blissful sigh and gave her a heartfelt, yet simple, hug. "I love you, Teru."

She hugged him back. "I love you, too Kurosaki."

He let her go reluctantly and held a hand out for her keycard. "I'll see you in the morning," he whispered (for Riko's sake) as he held the door for her, handing her her dress.

Teru stood for a few more seconds staring at Kurosaki then reminded herself that they had a plane to catch in a few hours. "Goodnight." And closed the door behind her.

* * *

><p>Akira poked his head over the seat backs in front of him on the plane. "Hey, did you see what time Kurosaki got back?" He whispered conspiratorially to Andy and Riko. "And Kurosaki was wearing a robe! It's like he came straight from a love hotel and didn't even bother to change."<p>

Riko turned around in her seat and put a deliberate and vaguely threatening hand over Akira's mouth. "Now you listen to me," said calmly. "They went to a local festival last night. One wears yukatas, not robes, yukatas to a summer festival. They stayed for the fireworks, mainly because I told him that only lame-ass dates leave before the fireworks. That's why they came back so late." She lifted her hand from his mouth. "Do you understand?"

The way she asked that made all the hairs on his arm stand up in alarm. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." She turned back around and crossed her legs in a way that should have been impossible in these tiny plane seats.

"Um," Akira looked across the plane aisle and a few rows back at the couple in question. "I guess that explains why they conked out as soon as we took off, huh?"

The rest of the party peeked back. Kurosaki and Teru were indeed out. They sat side by side in cramped seats that were way too small for Kurosaki's legs. Teru was resting against his shoulder while Kurosaki's had tipped sideways until his cheek rested on top of her head.

And they were holding hands.

Akira shook his head as all the adults sighed and sat back in their seats. "You guys are so weird."

Boss tugged him back into his seat. "Just ignore us." He handed him a magazine. "And them, if you know what's good for you."

People were always so weird about this lovey-dovey crap, he thought. "Fine, but if they went to a festival they better have brought me something back."

Riko whipped around so fast that he dropped the magazine. He held up his hands at her glare. "Just kidding!"

Riko narrowed her eyes to let him know she meant business then turned back around sank back into her chair with a smile. She hadn't waited up after packing last night, but she had woken up at the click of the door as Teru came back. She'd heard their light exchange as they said goodnight. With the light in the hallway she'd seen Teru's new yukata (for which she'd given Kurosaki full points). She'd also seen the lip-stung lips and the hickey.

She thought of Souichirou and how he would have grilled Kurosaki about their evening. Hell, he probably would have demanded they go on a double date. She flipped through her own magazine with a smile. She couldn't wait to ask Teru about it when they got back.

* * *

><p>Thank you so much for reading! I will gladly take story prompts for more Dengeki Daisy, if you'd like to suggest something. Please take a moment to review the story if you liked it (or if you didn't ;-)). I love those things.<p> 


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